SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON
UARTE
RIY
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W TEttAMEN
SENIOR DIVISION, No. 257, THIRD QUARTER, 1959
THE BLESSING OF DAILY STUDY
"He who by faith receives the word is receiving the very life and character
of God. Every seed brings forth fruit after its kind. ... Receive into the soul
by faith the incorruptible seed of the word, and it will bring forth a character
and a life after the similitude of the character and the life of
God."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
page 38.
"Appreciation of the Bible grows with its study."—Ibid., p. 132.
"God will make the most precious revelations to His hungering, thirsting
people. They will find that Christ is a personal Saviour. As they feed upon
His word, they find that it is spirit and life. The word destroys the natural,
earthly nature, and imparts a new life in Christ Jesus."—The
Desire ofAges,
page 391.
"The neglect of the word means starvation to the
soul.--Counsell on
Sabbath School Work,
page 44.
My Daily Lesson Study Pledge
As one who greatly desires to improve his knowledge of the Scriptures, I
pledge myself to the careful and prayerful study of some portion of my Sab-
bath school lesson each day of the week.
Name
LESSON TITLES FOR THE QUARTER
r. The Eternal Fatherhood of God
2.
The Word Was Made Flesh
3.
Reconciliation Through Jesus Christ
4.
The Kingdom of Divine Grace
5.
Justification
6.
Sanctification
7.
Doing God's Will
8.
9.
ro.
I I.
12.
13.
Faith and Trust
Love—The Crowning Virtue
Christian Maturity and Perfection
The Return of Our Lord
The Resurrection and Life
Everlasting
The Coming Kingdom of Glory
Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly, No. 257, July-September, 1959. 20 cents a single copy, 75 cents
a year (four issues) ; no additional charge to countries requiring extra postage. Published in the
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Mountain View, California. Second-class mail privileges authorized at Mountain View, California.
When a change of address is desired, please be sure to send both old and new addresses.
Copyright, 1959, by Pacific Press Publishing Association
Printed in U.S.A.
Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly
GREAT THEMES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
Lesson 1, for July 4, 1959
The Eternal Fatherhood of God
MEMORY VERSE:
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us,
that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not,
because it knew Him not." 1 John 3:1.
STUDY HELPS:
"Christ's Object Lessons," 1941 ed., pp. 141, 142; "The Desire of
Ages," pages 19-23; "Fundamentals of Christian Education," page 309;
"Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing," 1956 ed., pp. 74, 102, 103 (1943 ed.,
pp. 114, 151, 152); "The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary," on lesson
texts; Lesson Help in "Review and Herald" of June 18.
AIM:
A richer appreciation of the Fatherhood of God and of the privilege of being
His child.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
❑
Sunday: Key Thoughts;
Questions 1, 2.
Monday: Questions 3-6.
Tuesday: Questions 7-11.
Check Here
Wednesday: Questions 12, 13;
read from Study Helps.
Thursday: Read from Study Helps.
Friday: Review entire lesson.
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I.
Our Father
1.
A
meaningful name. Luke 11:2.
2.
Our Father cares. Matt. 10:29-31;
18:14.
II. The Father Revealed in Christ
3.
Evidence of God's love.
1 John 4:8-10.
4.
Knowing the Father through the
Son. Matt. 11:27; John 14:6-9.
5.
The Father revealed by the Holy
Ghost. Rom. 5:5 ; Gal. 4:6.
6.
All things through Christ.
Rom. 8:32.
III. The Privilege of Sonship
7.
Called sons of God. 1 John 3:1, 2.
8.
Adoption; the new birth. John
1:12, 13 ; Rom. 8:14, 16.
9.
Constrained by divine love.
2 Cor. 5:14.
10.
Divine discipline. Heb. 12:5-12.
11.
Present and future rewards of
sonship. Col. 1:12-14.
IV. Approaching God in Sincerity and
Confidence
12.
In spirit and in truth. John 4:23;
Heb. 4:16.
13.
Secure in the Father's love. John
10:29; Rom. 8:35-39.
(83
Key Thoughts:
1.
God Knows and Cares.
The Archi-
tect of the universe knows its myriad stars
and maintains each in its appointed course.
The same Infinite One has given us life and
being and desires us to accept Him as the
Architect of our lives.
2.
Love Constrains God.
God makes
it His chief business to provide for the wel-
fare and happiness of the creatures of His
hand. When the souls and lives of His
earthborn children fell under the blight of
sin, like a compassionate parent He pro-
vided for their full and complete restora-
tion.
3.
Divine Love Constrains Us.
The
love of God shining into our hearts con-
strains us to reflect His infinite love and to
co-operate with Him in the restoration of
our lives. Like a wise father He chastens
us for our good, supplies our every need,
and provides for our present and future
security.
4.
Our Privileges and Responsibili-
ties.
Intelligent creatures, endowed with
the power of choice, must co-operate with
God if they would share in His blessed
privileges for them. He invites us to have
confidence in His beneficent purposes, to
enter upon the privileges He accords erring
members of His earthborn family, and to
accept responsibilities befitting sons and
daughters of the Eternal One.
THE LESSON
Introduction
The Privilege of Calling God Our Father:
"In order to strengthen our confidence in
God, Christ teaches us to address Him by
a new name, a name entwined with the
dearest associations of the human heart.
He gives us the privilege of calling the in-
finite God our Father. This name, spoken
to Him and of Him, is a sign of our love
and trust toward Him, and a pledge of His
regard and relationship to us. Spoken
when asking His favor or blessing, it is as
music in His ears. That we might not think
it presumption to call Him by this name,
He has repeated it again and again. He
desires us to become familiar with the ap-
pellation."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
1941
ed., pp. 141, 142.
Our Father
1. By what name did Jesus teach
His disciples to address God? How
should this name be regarded? Luke
11:2.
NorE.—"Christ's favorite theme was the
paternal tenderness and abundant grace of
God."—Christ's Object Lessons,
page 40.
"He [Christ] pointed His hearers to the
Ruler of the universe, under the new name,
`Our Father.' He would have them under-
stand how tenderly the heart of God
yearned over
them."—Thoughts From the
Mount of Blessing,
1956 ed., p. 74.
2.
How personal an interest does
our heavenly Father take in His chil-
dren on earth? Matt. 10:29-31; 18:14.
Compare Matt. 6:25-33.
The Father Revealed in Christ
3.
What supreme evidence is given
of God's paternal love? 1 John 4:8-10.
Compare John 3:16; Rom. 5:6, 8.
4.
What provision has our heav-
enly Father made to enable us to be-
come acquainted with Him? Matt. 11:
27; John 14:6-9.
NOTE.—"To know God is to love Him;
His character must be manifested in con-
trast to the character of Satan. This work
only one Being in all the universe could do.
Only He who knew the height and depth
of the love of God could make it known.
[4]
•
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AAltif
•
OUR FIRST SYMBOL OF GOD:
A LOVING,
PROTECTI
NG FATHER.
Upon the world's dark night the Sun of
Righteousness must rise, 'with healing in
His wings.' Mal.
4:2."—The Desire of
Ages,
page 22.
5.
By what means does God im-
press our hearts with a realization
and appreciation of His great love?
Rom. 5:5; Gal. 4:6.
NOTE.—"He who commanded the light to
shine out of darkness is willing to shine in
your heart, to give the light of the knowl-
edge of the glory of God in the face of Je-
sus Christ. The Holy Spirit will take the
things of God and show them unto you,
conveying them as a living power into the
obedient heart. Christ will lead you to the
threshold of the
.
Infinite."—Christ's Object
Lessons,
page 149.
6.
In God's gift of His Son to be
our Saviour, what else is included?
Rom. 8:32.
NOTE.—"Freely give;" literally, "gra-
ciously give."
"By pouring the whole treasury of
heaven into this world, by giving us in
Christ all heaven, God has purchased the
will, the affections, the mind, the soul, of
every human
being."—Christ's Object Les-
sons,
page 326.
The Privilege of Sonship
7.
Through Christ what relation is
it our privilege to sustain to the Fa-
ther? 1 John 3:1, 2.
NOTE .—"God stands toward His people
in the relation of a father, and He has a
father's claim to our faithful service."—
Christ's Object Lessons,
page 282.
"The more we study the divine character
in the light of the cross, the more we see
mercy, tenderness, and forgiveness blended
with equity and justice, and the more
clearly we discern innumerable evidences of
a love that is infinite and a tender pity sur-
passing a mother's yearning sympathy for
her wayward
child."—Steps to Christ,
1956
and pocket eds., p. 15.
8.
How may we enter upon this
new relationship? What evidence do
we have of its reality? John 1:12, 13;
Rom. 8:14, 16.
NOTE.—The Greek reads literally, "right
to become God's sons," and implies that
the restoration to sonship takes place
im-
mediately
when the sinner receives Christ
as
the
Son of God and believes on His name.
"At the very crisis, when Satan seemed
about to triumph, the Son of God came
with the embassage of divine grace," and
"Deity was glorified by pouring upon the
world a flood of healing grace that was
never to be obstructed or withdrawn till
the plan of salvation should be fulfilled."—
The Desire of Ages,
page 37.
9.
What does God intend that His
love, operating through Christ, shall
do for us? 2 Cor. 5:14. Compare
Rom. 8:3, 4.
NorE.—The word translated "constrain-
eth" means "sustains," "impels," "controls."
As an automatic pilot controls an airplane
[
51
on a predetermined course, so the love of
Christ controls in the strait and narrow
way those who have chosen to be guided
by it. When the will is surrendered to
Christ "duty becomes a delight and sacri-
fice a pleasure. To honor Christ, to become
like Him, to work for Him, is the life's
highest ambition and its greatest joy."—
Education,
page 297.
10. As sons and daughters of God,
what training may we expect to re-
ceive? Heb. 12:5-12.
Nom.—The word translated "chastening"
means "upbringing," "training," "instruc-
tion," "discipline," and refers to the whole
process by which children are prepared for
the responsibilities of adult life. In verse
7
the ancient manuscripts all read, "Endure
unto chastening!" Knowing what is best
for us, God calls upon us to submit to the
training that is necessary in order that we
may become mature Christians.
"The trials of life are God's workmen, to
remove the impurities and roughness from
our character. Their hewing, squaring, and
chiseling, their burnishing and polishing, is
a painful process; it is hard to be pressed
down to the grinding wheel. But the stone
is brought forth prepared to fill its place in
the heavenly temple. Upon no useless ma-
terial does the Master bestow such careful,
thorough work. Only His precious stones
are polished after the similitude of a pal-
ace."—Thoughts From the Mount of Bless-
ing,
1956 ed., p. 10.
11.
What high privileges constitute
the present experience and future goal
of God's children? Col. 1:12-14. Com-
pare 1 Peter 1:3-5.
Nom.—By virtue of His death on Cal-
vary the Saviour transferred us from the
jurisdiction of Satan to His own "king-
dom." We are still in this world, to be
sure; but as sons of God we have sworn
allegiance to a higher power, and as long
as we abide in Christ Satan cannot touch us.
Approaching God in Sincerity
and Confidence
12.
In what frame of
-
mind are we
to approach our heavenly Father?
John 4:23; Heb. 4:16.
Nom.—True worship is willing obedience
to all of God's requirements. The new birth
purifies the heart, renews the mind, and
imparts a new capacity for knowing and
loving God. See
The Desire of Ages,
page
189.
13.
How securely may we rest in
the Father's love? John 10:29; Rom.
8:35-39.
Lesson 2, for July 11, 1959
The Word Was Made Flesh
MEMORY VERSEi
"And without controversy great is
the mystery of godliness: God
was manifest in :the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto
the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." .1 Tim. 3:16.
STUDY HELPS: "The Desire of Ages," pages 19-26; "The Seventh-day Adventist
Bible Commentary," vol. 5, pp. 917-919, and on lesson texts; Lesson Help in
"Review and Herald" of June 25.
AI*
A deeper understanding of the significance of the incarnation of our Lord,
and of His exemplary life, vicarious death, resurrection,
and ascension.
£6]
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey. 0
Sunday: Key Thoughts;
Questions 1-3.
0
Monday: Questions 4-7.
0
Check Here
Tuesday: Questions 8-10.
Wednesday: Questions 11-13.
0
Thursday: Read from Study Helps. 0
Friday: Review entire lesson.
0
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. Divinity and Humanity Reunited
1.
God with us. Matt. 1:23.
2.
The Word was God. John 141.
3.
The Word became flesh. John
1:14; Heb. 2:14, 17.
II. A Revelation of Infinite Love
4.
Christ gave Himself for us. Eph.
5:2 ; Titus 2:14.
5.
To reveal the Father. 2 Cor. 4:6;
John 17:3.
6.
To seek and save the lost. Luke
19:10; John 10:10; 18:37.
7.
To impart eternal life. Rom. 6:23.
III. Exemplary Life and Vicarious Death
8.
Victory over temptation. 1 John
3:5; Heb. 2:18.
9.
Made to be sin for us. 2 Cor. 5:21.
10.
Reconciled by His death, saved
by His life. Rom. 5:8-11.
IV. Resurrection, Ascension, and
Intercession
11.
Benefits from the resurrection.
1 Cor. 15:16-23.
12.
A comforting assurance. Acts
1:9-11.
13.
Our great High Priest. Heb. 2:17.
Key Thoughts:
Key Events in Christ's Life.
Each of the
five major events in the earthly life of
the Saviour represents an essential aspect
of the plan of salvation. These five are:
1.
The Incarnation.
Sin estranged man
from his Creator, thus severing his connec-
tion with the source of life. The reunion of
divinity with humanity at Christ's birth
makes it possible for our humanity to be
united with divinity by the
new birth.
2.
A Perfect Life.
The Saviour's life on
earth was a perfect example of submission
to the Father. Through the Holy Spirit He
imparts power to us to follow that example.
The process of learning to do so we call
sanctification.
3.
A Vicarious Death.
On Calvary
Christ died in our stead, and by virtue of
His death we have access through faith to
His saving grace. Accepting this gift we
experience justification.
4.
A Triumphant Resurrection.
Christ's
triumph over death is our assurance of the
resurrection and of
life everlasting.
5.
A Glorious Ascension.
"If I go,
. . . I will come again." John 14:3. Christ
ascended to heaven to complete the work
of salvation begun on the cross, thereby en-
abling us to prepare for
translation.
When
this task is complete He will restore us to
the presence of the Father and present us
faultless before Him.
THE LESSON
and life. . . . By His humanity, Christ
touched humanity; by His divinity, He lays
hold upon the throne of God. As the Son
of man, He gave us an example of obedi-
ence; as the Son of God, He gives us power
to
obey."-The Desire of Ages,
pages 23, 24.
[7]
Introduction
Purpose of the Incarnation:
"Christ ." .
pitched His tent by the side of the tents of
men, that He might dwell among us, and
make us familiar with His divine character
Divinity and Humanity Reunited
1.
What fact makes the birth of
Jesus the supreme event of all time?
Matt. 1:23. Compare John 14:8, 9.
NOTE.—"Divinity and humanity were
mysteriously combined, and man and God
became one. It is in this union that we find
the hope of our fallen race. Looking upon
Christ in humanity, we look upon God, and
see in Him the brightness of His glory, the
express image of His person."—Ellen G.
White supplement in
The Seventh-day Ad-
ventist Bible Commentary, vol.
5, p. 1130.
"Christ could have done nothing during
His earthly ministry in saving fallen man
if the divine had not been blended with the
human. The limited capacity of man can-
not define this wonderful mystery—the
blending of the two natures, the divine and
the human. It can never be explained. Man
must wonder and be silent. And yet man is
privileged to be a partaker of the divine
nature, and in this way he can to some de-
gree enter into the mystery."—Ellen G.
White supplement in
The Seventh-day Ad-
ventist Bible Commentary,
vol. 7, p. 904.
2.
How full and complete was the
Deity of the incarnate Christ? John
11. Compare Col. 1:15-19; 2:9; Heb.
1:1-3, 8.
NoTE.—"Christ is the pre-existent, self-
existent Son of God. . . . There never was
a time when He was not in close fellowship
with the eternal God. . . . He was equal
with God, infinite and omnipotent."—
Evangelism,
page 615.
"Christ was God essentially, and in the
highest sense. He was with God from all
eternity, God over all, blessed forevermore.
The Lord Jesus Christ, the divine Son of
God, existed from eternity, a distinct per-
son, yet one with the Father."—Ellen G.
White supplement in
The Seventh-day Ad-
ventist Bible Commentary, vol.
5, p. 1126.
"In Christ is life, original, unborrowed,
underived."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 530.
The word "first-born" in Colossians 1:15
denotes rank And position, not time or de-
scent. The expression "first-born of every
JESUS CHRIST-THE LINK
BETWEEN GOD AND MAN.
.0 59
creature" characterizes Christ as being su-
perior in rank to all created beings. This is
evident from verse 17, where He is said to
be "before all things."
3.
How full and complete was the
humanity of the incarnate Christ?
John 1:14; Heb. 2:14, 17. Compare
Phil. 2:5-8.
N0TE.—"Had He not been fully human,
Christ could not have been our substitute.
He could not have worked out in humanity
that perfection of character which it is the
privilege of all to reach. . . . In His hu-
manity, He laid hold of the divinity of
God; and this every member of the human
family has the privilege of doing. Christ
did nothing that human nature may not do
if it partakes of the divine nature."—Ellen
G. White, in
The Signs of the Times,
June
17, 1897.
"Only Begotten." The Greek of John 1:
14 literally reads, "only," "unique."
A Revelation of Infinite Love
4.
What supreme motive prompted
the Saviour to take humanity upon
Himself? What were His objectives
in so doing? Eph. 5:2; Titus 2:14.
Compare Heb. 12:2.
[8]
NOTE.—"He who beholds the Saviour's
matchless love will be elevated in thought,
purified in heart, transformed in character."
—The Desire of Ages,
page 661.
"A peculiar people." The Greek of Titus
2:14 reads literally, "a chosen people," "a
people of His own."
5.
What supreme revelation be-
came possible through the incarnate
Christ? Of what value is this revela-
tion to mankind? 2 Cor. 4:6; John
17:3. Compare John 1:4, 12; 18:37.
NOTE.—"By sin man was shut out from
God. Except for the plan of redemption,
eternal separation from God, the darkness
of unending night, would have been his.
Through the Saviour's sacrifice, communion
with God is again made possible. We may
not in person, approach into His presence;
in our sin we may not look upon His face;
but we can behold Him and commune with
Him in Jesus, the
Saviour."—Education,
page 28.
6.
In what words did our Lord
Himself declare the purpose of His
mission to earth? Luke 19:10; John
10:10; 18:37.
7.
What supreme gift does God be-
stow through Jesus Christ? Rom. 6:
23. Compare John 1:4; 3:16.
Exemplary Life and Vicarious
Death
8.
How completely triumphant was
Christ in His personal struggle with
sin? What does His victory mean to
us? 1 John 3:5; Heb. 2:18. Compare
Rom. 8:1-4; Heb. 4:15.
NOTE.—"If we had to bear anything
which Jesus did not endure, then upon this
point Satan would represent the power of
God as insufficient for us. Therefore Jesus
was 'in all points tempted like as we are.'
Heb. 4:15. He endured every trial to which
we are subject. And He exercised in His
own behalf no power that is not freely of-
fered to us. As man, He met temptation,
and overcame in the strength given Him
from God."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 24.
9.
How fully did Christ accept the
responsibility for our sins and recon-
cile us to God? 2 Cor. 5:21. Compare
1 Peter 2:24; 3:18.
10.
What did the death of Christ
upon Calvary make possible for us?
Rom. 5:8-11.
NOTE.—"Christ was treated as we de-
serve, that we might be treated as He de-
serves. He was condemned for our sins, in
which He had no share, that we might be
justified by His righteousness, in which we
had no share. He suffered the death which
was ours, that we might receive the life
which was His. 'With His stripes we are
healed.'
"—The Desire of Ages,
page 25.
Resurrection, Ascension, and
Intercession
11.
What blessed assurances come
to mankind because of Christ's tri-
umph over death? 1 Cor. 15:16-23.
Compare Rev. 1:18.
12.
At His ascension what com-
forting assurance was given to His
disciples? Acts 1:9-11.
13.
By virtue of the incarnation,
what was Christ enabled to become
and to do for us? Heb. 2:17. Com-
pare Heb. 4:15, 16; 7:25.
MAKE NEXT THIRTEENTH SABBATH DOUBLE DOLLAR DAY
[ 9
Lesson 3, for July 18, 1959
Reconciliation Through Jesus Christ
MEMORY VERSE:
"All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by
Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that
God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their tres-
passes unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation."
2 Cor. 5:18, 19.
STUDY HELPS:
"Christ's Object Lessons," 1941 ed., pp. 185-211; "Patriarchs and
Prophets," pages 63-70; "Steps to Christ," 1956 and pocket eds., pp. 17-22
(1908 ed., pp. 19-25); "The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary," on les-
son texts; Lesson Help in "Review and Herald" of July 2.
AIM:
An insight into what Christ has done and is doing to reconcile sinners to God.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
❑
Sunday: Key Words; Questions 1, 2.
❑
Monday: Questions 3-6.
❑
Tuesday: Questions 7-10.
❑
Check Here
Wednesday: Questions 11-13.
❑
Thursday: Read from Study Helps.
❑
Friday: Review entire lesson.
❑
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. Without God in the World
1.
Enemies of God, dead in sin.
Rom. 1:21-23, 28.
2.
Living for self. Eph. 2:2-5.
II. Reconciliation Provided
3.
God reconciling the world. 2 Cor.
5:18, 19 ; Col. 1:19, 20.
4.
Parables: seeking the lost. Luke
15:7, 10.
5.
A vicarious atoning sacrifice. Rom.
5:6-11, 18, 19.
6.
Redemption, reconciliation, propiti-
ation, atonement. Eph. 1:7; Heb.
2:17; 1 John 4:10; Rom. 5:11.
III. Reconciliation Applied and
Accepted
7.
Christ's atoning ministry. Heb.
2:17; 1 John 2:1, 2.
8.
Appropriating divine grace. John
1:12, 13 ; Heb. 4:15, 16.
9.
Growth in grace. 2 Peter 3:18;
1 John
1:7.
10. Sons of God. Rom. 8:14;
1 John 3:1.
IV. The Transforming Power of
Divine Grace
11.
A transformation of character.
Rom. 12:1, 2.
12.
Fellowship with Christ. Phil.
3:9, 10.
13.
Fruits of the Spirit. Gal. 5:22, 23.
Key Words:
1.
Redemption.
Jesus obtained eternal
"redemption" for us. Heb. 9:12. This word
looks at sin as slavery, and at sinners as
slaves to sin. See Rom. 6:16, 17. It sees
the ministry of Christ in delivering us from
sin as a work of setting slaves free from
bondage by paying a ransom for them.
Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14.
2.
Reconciliation.
That God "recon-
ciled" us to Himself by Jesus Christ (2 Cor.
5:18) is the good news of "reconciliation."
Verses 19, 20. Christ became incarnate in
order "to make reconciliation" for our sins.
Heb. 2:17. These words look at sin as a
I 10 3
state of hostility toward God, and at sin-
ners as enemies of God. See Rom. 5:10;
8:7. They see the ministry of Christ as a
work of setting us at peace with God, of
restoring friendly relations between us and
God. Rom. 5:1, 10.
3. Propitiation.
Christ is the "propiti-
ation" for our sins. 1 John 2:2; 4:10.
"Propitiation" presents Christ as the Lamb
of God, by whom the enmity of sin is re-
moved. See John 1:29. As used in the
New Testament, "propitiation" is equiva-
lent to "reconciliation."
4. Atonement.
Through Christ we have
received the "atonement." As used in Ro-
mans 5:11 the word "atonement" simply
means "at-one-ment," and is equivalent to
"reconciliation."
THE LESSON
NOTE.—"Satanic agencies were incorpo-
rated with men. The bodies of human be-
ings, made for the dwelling place of God,
had become the habitation of demons. The
senses, the nerves, the passions, the organs
of men, were worked by supernatural
agencies in the indulgence of the vilest lust.
The very stamp of demons was impressed
upon the countenances of men. . . . It was
demonstrated before the universe that,
apart from God, humanity could not be
uplifted. A new element of life and power
must be imparted by Him who made the
world."—The
Desire of Ages,
pages 36, 37.
Introduction
"It was Satan's purpose to bring about
an eternal separation between God and
man; but in Christ we become more closely
united to God than if we had never fallen.
In taking our nature, the Saviour has bound
Himself to humanity by a tie that is never
to be broken. . . . In Christ the family of
earth and the family of heaven are bound
together. Christ glorified is our brother.
Heaven is enshrined in humanity, and hu-
manity is enfolded in the bosom of Infinite
Love."—The Desire of Ages,
pages 25, 26.
Without God in the World
1.
What is the attitude of the un-
regenerate heart toward God and spir-
itual things? Rom. 1:21-23, 28. Com-
pare Rom. 5:10; 8:7; Eph. 2:1, 11, 12.
NOTE.—"Whatever the appearance may
be, every life centered in self is squandered.
Whoever attempts to live apart from God
is wasting his substance. He is squandering
the precious years, squandering the powers
of mind and heart and soul, and working to
make himself bankrupt for eternity. The
man who separates from God that he may
serve himself, is the slave of mammon."—
Christ's Object Lessons,
1941 ed., pp. 200,
201.
2.
What impulses control the life
and conduct of those alienated from
God? What characteristic conduct is
the result? Eph. 2:2-5. Compare Eph.
4:17-19; Gal. 5:19-21; Rom. 1:24-32.
Reconciliation Provided
3.
In His love for mankind, what
did God do in order that sinners
might become reconciled to Him?
2 Cor. 5:18, 19; Col. 1:19, 20. Com-
pare 1 John 4:10.
NorE.—"The heart of God yearns over
His earthly children with a love stronger
than death. In giving up His Son, He has
poured out to us all heaven in one gift."
—Steps to Christ,
1956 and pocket eds.,
p. 21.
4.
What causes great joy in heaven?
Luke 15:7, 10.
NOTE.—"When sinners are led
to
give
themselves to the Saviour, angels bear the
tidings heavenward, and there is great re-
joicing among the heavenly host. 'Joy shall
be in heaven over one sinner that repent-
[117
THE FIRST STEP—TURNING FROM
30.3
TEMPORARY THINGS TO CHRIST.
eth, more than over ninety and nine just
persons, which need no repentance.' Luke
15:7. A report is borne to heaven of every
successful effort on our part to dispel the
darkness and to spread abroad the knowl-
edge of Christ. As the deed is recounted
before the Father, joy thrills through all the
heavenly host."—The
Acts of the Apostles,
page 154.
"Whatever may have been your past ex-
perience, however discouraging your present
circumstances, if you will come to Jesus
just as you are, weak, helpless, and despair-
ing, our compassionate Saviour will meet
you
a
great way off, and will throw about
you His arms of love and His robe of
righteousness."—Thoughts
From the Mount
of Blessing,
1956 ed., p. 9.
5.
In the sinner's forlorn condition,
what was necessary in order that he
might become reconciled to God?
Rom. 5:6-11, 18, 19. Compare 1 Pe-
ter 3:18.
NOTE.
—
"Only
He who knew the height
and depth of the love of God could make
it manifest. Nothing less than the infinite
sacrifice made by Christ in behalf of fallen
man could express the Father's love to lost
humanity."—Steps
to Christ,
page 14.
6.
What is implied by the words
"redemption," "reconciliation," "pro-
pitiation," "atonement," as used in
[ 12
Scripture to describe Christ's work of
restoring us to divine favor? Eph. 1:
7; Heb. 2:17; 1 John 4:10; Rom. 5:11.
See definitions under "Key Words."
Reconciliation Applied and
Accepted
7.
What continuing ministry is
necessary on the part of Christ in
order to make the merits of Calvary
effective in our individual lives? Heb.
2:17; 1 John 2:1, 2. Compare 1 Tim.
2:5; Heb. 1:3.
NOTE.—"Christ is in the heavenly sanctu-
ary, and He is there to make an atonement
for the people. He is there to present His
wounded side and pierced hands to His Fa-
ther. He is there to plead for His church
that is upon the earth. He is cleansing the
sanctuary from the sins of the people. What
is our work?—It is our work to be in har-
mony with the work of Christ. By faith
we are to work with Him, to be in union
with Him."—Ellen G. White,
Review and
Herald,
Jan. 28, 1890.
8.
What is our part in securing the
benefits of the atonement provided by
our Saviour on Calvary? John 1:12,
13; Heb. 4:15, 16. Compare Rom. 3:
23-26.
9.
What experience must we culti-
vate in order to retain the blessings of
divine grace? 2 Peter 3:18; 1 John 1:7.
Compare 1 John 3:3.
10.
Into what intimate relationship
with God do those enter who accept
His grace and submit their lives to
His direction? Rom. 8:14; 1 John 3:1.
NorE.—"Sin could be resisted and over-
come only through the mighty agency of
the Third Person of the Godhead, who
would come with no modified energy, but
in the fullness of divine power. It is the
Spirit that makes effectual what has been
wrought out by the world's Redeemer. It
is by the Spirit that the heart is made pure.
Through the Spirit the believer becomes a
partaker of the divine nature. Christ has
given His Spirit as a divine power to over-
come all hereditary and cultivated tenden-
cies to evil, and to impress His own charac-
ter upon His church."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 671.
The Transforming Power of
Divine Grace
11.
What is the attitude of the re-
generate heart toward God and to-
ward His revealed will? Rom. 12:1,
2. Compare Col. 1:10-14; Rom. 5:1, 2.
12.
Through faith, into what inti-
mate fellowship with Christ is it our
privilege to enter? Phil.
3:9,
10.
NoTE.—"All who would receive Christ by
faith were united to Him by a tie closer
than that of human kinship. They would
become one with Him, as He was one with
the Father."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 325.
13.
What is the result of the trans-
forming power of God in the life?
Gal. 5:22, 23.
NoTE.—"On this earth, the earth whose
soil has been moistened by the tears and
blood of the Son of God, are to be brought
forth the precious fruits of Paradise. In the
lives of God's people the truths of His word
are to reveal their glory and excellence.
Through His people Christ is to manifest
His character and the principles of His
kingdom."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
page
296.
Lesson 4, for July 25, 1959
The Kingdom of Divine Grace
MEMORY VERSE:
"Let
us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we
may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Heb. 4:16.
STUDY HELPS:
"The Desire of Ages," page 234; "Thoughts From the Mount of
Blessing," 1956 ed., pp. 8, 107, 108 (1943 ed., pp. 20, 159, 160); "Steps to
Christ," 1956 and pocket eds.; pp. 43-48 (1908 ed., pp. 47-52); "The Seventh-
day Adventist Bible Commentary," on lesson texts; Lesson Help in "Review and
Herald" of July 9.
AIM:
An awareness of the privileges and responsibilities of citizenship in the
kingdom of God's grace.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey..
❑
Sunday: Key Thoughts;
Questions 1-3.
❑
Monday: Questions 4-6; read from
Study Helps.
❑
Check Here
Tuesday: Questions 7-9; read from
Study Helps.
❑
Wednesday: Questions 10-13.
❑
.
Thursday: Read from Study Helps.
❑
Friday: Review entire lesson.
❑
[13
]
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. Establishment of the Kingdom of
Grace
1.
The kingdom at hand. Matt. 4:17.
2.
The kingdom inaugurated. Matt.
12:28.
3.
Victory by virtue of the cross.
Heb. 2:14, 15 ; Rev. 12:10, 11.
II. Nature of the Kingdom of Grace
4.
Within human hearts. Luke 17:20,
21; John 18:36.
5.
Parables illustrating the kingdom.
Matt. 13:24, 31, 33.
6.
A transfer of proprietorship. Matt.
21:43.
III. Admission to the Kingdom of Grace
7.
Born into the kingdom. John
1:12, 13; 3:3.
8.
Naturalization and citizenship.
Matt. 5:3-12.
9.
Submission to God's will. Matt.
7:21; John 14:15.
IV. Subjects of the Kingdom of Grace
10.
Access to the throne. Mark
10:28-30; Heb. 4:16.
11.
Essential duties. Matt. 22:36-40.
12.
Striving for perfection. Matt. 5:48.
13.
Making God first in the life.
Matt. 6:33.
Key Thoughts:
1.
The Provision of Grace.
"Grace" is
a translation of the Greek word
charis,
which denotes "favor" or "good will."
Despite sin God is still favorably disposed
toward those who have rejected His sover-
eignty. The gospel is the good news of
God's good will toward us, of His grace that
provides salvation from the blight, power,
penalty, and presence of sin.
2.
The Kingdom of Grace.
A kingdom
is an organized form of society consisting
of king, subjects, and territory. The king-
dom of grace is the church invisible
throughout probationary time. Its role
complete, the kingdom of grace will eventu-
ally merge into God's eternal kingdom of
glory.
3.
The King of Grace.
Jesus Christ is
the King of grace. The theme of His earthly
ministry was, "The kingdom of heaven is
at hand." Matt. 4:17. The crucifixion was
"His true coronation."-The
Desire of
Ages,
page 379.
4.
Subjects of Grace.
God's transform-
ing grace is displayed by the subjects of
His kingdom. By divine grace they were
justified when they became its subjects, by
divine grace they are sanctified as long as
they remain loyal to God.
5.
The Throne of Grace.
The kingdom
of grace exists to give its subjects access to
the throne of grace, where they can "obtain
mercy, and find grace to help" them over-
come every inherited and cultivated ten-
dency to evil and thus qualify for admission
to the everlasting kingdom of glory. Heb.
4:16.
THE LESSON
saints of the Most High;' that everlasting
kingdom, in which 'all dominons shall serve
and obey Him.' Daniel 7:27. As used in
the Bible, the expression 'kingdom of God'
is employed to designate both the kingdom
of grace and the kingdom of glory."-The
Great Controversy,
pages 346, 347.
Establishment of the Kingdom
of Grace
1. What was the principal theme
of our Lord's preaching during His
1
14
7
Introduction
"The announcement which had been
made by the disciples in the name of the
Lord ["the kingdom of heaven is at and"]
was in every particular correct, and the
events to which it pointed were even then
taking place. . . . This kingdom was not,
as they had been taught to believe, an
earthly empire. Nor was it that future, im-
mortal kingdom which shall be set up
when 'the kingdom and dominion, and the
greatness of the kingdom under the whole
heaven, shall be given to the people of the
earthly ministry? Matt. 4:17. Com-
pare chaps. 3:2; 10:7.
NoiE.
—
"Is at
hand." Literally, "has
come near."
2.
When was the kingdom Jesus
announced established? Matt. 12:28.
Compare Matt. 11:12; Luke 16:16;
Col. 1:12, 13.
NOTE.—"The kingdom of grace was insti-
tuted immediately after the fall of man,
when a plan was devised for the redemp-
tion of the guilty race. It then existed in
the purpose and by the promise of God;
and through faith, men could become its
subjects. Yet it was not actually estab-
lished until the death of Christ."—The
Great Controversy,
pages 347, 348.
3.
By what event was the establish-
ment of the kingdom of divine grace
made possible? Heb. 2:14, 15; Rev.
12:10, 11.
NoTE.—"The 'kingdom of God' which
they [the disciples] had declared to be at
hand was established by the death of
Christ."—The
Great Controversy,
page 347.
"In the matchless gift of His Son, God
has encircled the whole world with an at-
mosphere of grace as real as the air which
circulates around the globe. All who choose
to breathe this life-giving atmosphere will
live and grow up to the stature of men
and women in Christ
Jesus."—Steps to
Christ,
1956 and pocket eds.,
p.
68.
Nature of the Kingdom of Grace
4.
What is the nature of the king-
dom Jesus established at His first com-
ing? Luke 17:20, -21; John 18:36.
Compare Matt. 6:10.
NoTE.—"The Pharisees sit in their obser-
vation towers in vain; the kingdom, being
spiritual and internal, comes right under
4
)
.
1)
/
•
14N?EEN,THE LEAVEN OF GRACE VVORKG WITHIN.
their noses, and with their unspiritual eyes
they never see a thing of it or of its corn-
ing."—R. C. H. Lenski,
Commentary,
on
Luke 17:21.
5.
What method did Jesus use to
illustrate the nature and purpose of
the kingdom of God's grace? Matt.
13:24, 31, 33.
NoTE.—For a synopsis of the lesson
taught by each of these parables, see
The
Seventh-day Adventsist Bible Commentary,
vol.
5, pp. 205, 206.
6.
What transfer of the kingdom
became necessary because of Israel's
unfaithfulness? Matt. 21:43.
NoTE.—"That which God purposed to do
for the world through Israel, the chosen
nation, He will finally accomplish through
His church on earth today. He has let out
His vineyard unto other husbandmen.'
"—
Prophets and Kings,
pages 713, 714.
Admission to the Kingdom
of Grace
7.
Through what process do we
gain admission to the kingdom of
God's grace? John 1:12, 13; 3:3.
[16]
8.
How did Jesus summarize the
principles of the kingdom of divine
grace? Matt. 5:3-12.
NOTE.—"In the Sermon on the Mount
He [Christ] sought . . . to give His hear-
ers a right conception of His kingdom and
of His own character. . . . He told them
the conditions of entrance therein, leaving
them to draw their own conclusions as to
its nature."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 299.
"Throughout the Beatitudes there is an
advancing line of Christian experience.
Those who have felt their need of Christ,
those who have mourned because of sin
and have sat with Christ in the school of
affliction, will learn meekness from the
divine
Teacher."—Thoughts From the
Mount of Blessing,
1956 ed., pp. 13, 14.
9.
What requirements do all meet
who are subjects of Christ's kingdom?
Matt. 7:21; John 14:15.
Subjects of the Kingdom
of Grace
10.
What privileges and benefits
accrue to those who become subjects
of this kingdom? Mark 10:28-30;
Heb. 4:16.
11.
What is the basic law of the
kingdom of heaven? Matt. 22:36-40.
Compare Matt. 23:23; Micah 6:8.
12.
What ideals of character are
set before us as subjects of the king-
dom of heaven? Matt. 5:48. Compare
Phil. 3:8-15.
NOTE.—"Not by the decisions of courts or
councils or legislative assemblies, not by the
patronage of worldly great men, is the
kingdom of Christ established, but by the
implanting of Christ's nature in humanity
through the work of the Holy Spirit."—
The Desire of Ages,
page 509.
13.
What place is the kingdom of
heaven to hold in the minds and lives
of its subjects? Matt. 6:33.
NOTE.—" 'And the lusts of other things.'
These are not necessarily things sinful in
themselves, but something that is made first
instead of the kingdom of God. Whatever
attracts the mind from God, whatever
draws the affections away from Christ, is
an enemy to the
soul."—Christ's Object
Lessons,
1941 ed., p. 53.
"We cannot serve God with a divided
heart. Bible religion is not one influence
among many others; its influence is to be
supreme, pervading and controlling every
other."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 312.
Lesson 5, for August 1, 1959
Justification
MEMORY VERSE:
"He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we
might be made the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Cor. 5:21.
STUDY HELPS:
"Christ's Object Lessons," 1941 ed., pp. 150-163; "Steps to Christ,"
1956 and pocket eds., pp. 23-36 (1908 ed., pp. 26-41); "The Seventh-day Ad-
ventist Bible Commentary," on lesson texts; Lesson Help in "Review and
Herald" of July 16.
AIM:
To answer the question: How do I stand in the sight of God?
[ 16 ]
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
❑
Sunday: Key Words; Questions 1-4
❑
Monday: Questions 5-8.
❑
Tuesday: Questions 9-12.
❑
Check Here
Wednesday: Questions 13, 14; read
from Study Helps.
❑
Thursday: Read from Study Helps.
❑
Friday: Review entire lesson.
❑
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. The Provision for Righteousness in
Christ
1.
All have sinned. Rom. 3:10, 23.
2.
God's justice in justifying sinners.
Rom. 3:23-26.
3.
Christ made to be sin for us. Rom.
5:19; 2 Cor. 5:21.
4.
His righteousness imputed. Rom.
4:3, 5, 9.
II. Appropriating the Gift of Christ's
Righteousness
5.
A humble attitude. Luke 18:13, 14.
6.
A desire for righteousness.
Matt. 5:6.
7.
Faith in divine grace. Acts 13:38,
39; Rom. 4:4, 5.
8.
Belief and obedience. Rom.
6:13, 16.
III. At Peace With God
9.
Joy for sins forgiven. Rom. 4:6-8.
10.
Justified by faith. Rom. 5:1.
11.
Obedience the fruit of faith. Phil.
1:10, 11; 1 John 2:29.
12.
Christ's constraining love. Rom.
8:1-4.
IV.
Growing in Grace
13.
Pressing toward the mark.
Phil. 3:12-14.
14.
Paul's admonition. Phil. 3:15-17.
Key Words:
1.
Justify
and
Justification.
The New
Testament words thus translated mean "to
set right," "to regard as righteous," "to de-
clare righteous," "to treat as being right-
eous," "to acquit." To be justified is to be
made and declared righteous, to be acquit-
ted of wrongdoing, to have charges can-
celed, to be brought into a right relation
with God.
2.
Righteousness.
This word usually
denotes the quality or state of being right.
Among the Greeks "righteousness" consisted
of conformity to accepted customs. To the
Jews it was a matter of conformity to the
requirements of the law as interpreted by
the rabbis. But for Christ's followers it
means conformity to the principles of the
kingdom of heaven.
3.
Imputed Righteousness.
In the
Greek New Testament the original expres-
sion sometimes translated "to impute" is
also translated "to think" (Rom. 2:3), "to
count" (Rom. 4:3), "to reckon" (Rom.
4:4), "to esteem" (Rom. 14:14). In classi-
cal Greek and in the papyri the term was
used in keeping accounts, to express credit
or debit. When God imputes righteousness
to the repentant sinner He figuratively
places the righteousness of Christ to his
credit on the books of heaven, and the
sinner stands before God as if he had never
sinned.
THE LESSON
Introduction
"As the penitent sinner, contrite before
God, discerns Christ's atonement in his be-
half, and accepts this atonement as his only
hope in this life and the future life, his sins
are pardoned. This is justification by faith.
. . . Through faith, the believer passes
from the position of a rebel, a child of sin
and Satan, to the position of a loyal subject
[ 17
%MA
p.
JESUS ACCEPTED OUR PUNISH-
MENT THAT WE MIGHT GO FREE.
of Christ Jesus, not because of an inherent
goodness, but because Christ receives him as
His child by adoption. . . . Justification is
the opposite of condemnation. God's
boundless mercy is exercised toward those
who are wholly undeserving. He forgives
transgressions and sins for the sake of Je-
sus, who has become the propitiation for
our sins. Through faith in Christ, the guilty
transgressor is brought into favor with God
and into the strong hope of life eternal."—
Ellen G. White supplement in
The Seventh-
day Adventist Bible Commentary,
vol. 6,
pp. 1070, 1071.
The Provision for Righteousness
in Christ
1.
How many stand in need of the
righteousness God has provided
through faith in Jesus Christ? Rom.
3:10, 23.
2.
How can a righteous God, in
justice, declare a guilty sinner right-
eous? Rom. 3:23-26.
3.
How did Christ earn the right
to impute His righteousness to us?
Rom. 5:19; 2 Cor. 5:21 Compare 1 Pe-
ter 3:18.
4.
How do New Testament writers
describe the process by which the
righteousness of Christ is transferred
to us? Rom. 4:3, 5, 9.
NOTE.—"In ourselves we are sinners; but
in Christ we are righteous. Having made
us righteous through the imputed righteous-
ness of Christ, God pronounces us just, and
treats us as just. He looks upon us as His
dear children. Christ works against the
power of sin, and where sin abounded, grace
much more abounds."—Ellen G. White,
Selected Messages,
b. 1,
p. 394.
Appropriating the Gift of
Christ's Righteousness
5.
What attitude must the sinner
manifest before God can pronounce
him justified? Luke 18:13, 14.
NOTE.—"The sense of need, the recogni-
tion of our poverty and sin, is the very first
condition of acceptance with God. 'Blessed
are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the king-
dom of heaven.' Matt.
5:3."—Christ's Ob-
ject Lessons,
1941
ed., p. 152.
"It is only he who knows himself to be a
sinner that Christ can
save."—Ibid.,
p. 158.
6.
How is the craving for right-
eousness rewarded? Matt. 5:6.
NOTE.—"As we discern the perfection of
our Saviour's character we shall desire to
become wholly transformed and renewed in
the image of His purity. . . . If you have a
sense of need in your soul, if you hunger
and thirst after righteousness, this is an evi-
dence that Christ has wrought upon your
heart."—Thoughts From the Mount of
Blessing,
1956 ed., p. 19.
7.
By His grace, what does God ac-
cept on our part as entitling us to the
18
righteousness of Christ? Acts 13:38,
39; Rom. 4:4, 5.
NoTE.—"Faith is the condition upon
which God has seen fit to promise pardon
to sinners; not that there is any virtue in
faith whereby salvation is merited, but be-
cause faith can lay hold of the merits of
Christ, the remedy provided for sin. Faith
can present Christ's perfect obedience in-
stead of the sinner's transgression and de-
fection. When the sinner believes that
Christ is his personal Saviour, then accord-
ing to His unfailing promises, God pardons
his sin and justifies him freely."—Ellen G.
White supplement in
The Seventh-day Ad-
ventist Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 1073.
8.
What will all do who would be
justified by faith in Christ? Rom. 6:
13, 16.
NOTE.—"Those who are justified by faith
must have a heart to keep the way of the
Lord. It is an evidence that a man is not
justified by faith when his works do not
correspond to his profession. . . . The faith
that does not produce good works does not
justify the soul."—Ellen G. White,
Selected
Messages,
b. 1, p. 397.
At Peace With God
9.
What blessed release accompa-
nies the divine gift of righteousness?
Rom. 4:6-8.
NOTE.—"You are a sinner. You cannot
atone for your past sins; you cannot change
your heart and make yourself holy. But
God promises to do all this for you through
Christ. You
believe
that promise. You con-
fess your sins and give yourself to God.
You
will
to serve Him. Just as surely as you
do this, God will fulfill His word to you.
If you believe the promise,—believe that
you are forgiven and cleansed,—God sup-
plies the fact; you are made whole, just as
Christ gave the paralytic power to walk
when the man believed that he was healed.
It
is
so if you believe
it."—Steps to Christ,
1956 and pocket eds., p. 51.
10.
What experience do those en-
joy who have been justified by faith in
the saving merits of Christ? Rom. 5:1.
11.
What visible evidence testifies
to justification by faith as an accom-
plished fact in the life? Phil. 1:10, 11;
1 John 2:29.
NoTE.—"Faith works by love and purifies
the soul. Faith buds and blossoms and
bears a harvest of precious fruit. Where
faith is, good works appear. . . . Christ
and the believer become one, and His
beauty of character is revealed in those
who are vitally connected with the Source
of power and love. Christ is the great de-
positary of justifying righteousness and
sanctifying
grace."—Selected Messages,
b.
1, p. 398.
"Righteousness within is testified to by
righteousness
without."—Messages to Young
People,
page 35.
12.
What enables the person who
has been justified by faith to live a life
acceptable to God? Rom. 8:1-4. Com-
pare 2 Cor. 5:14; Gal. 3:11.
NOTE.—"Satan had claimed that it was
impossible for man to obey God's com-
mandments; and in our own strength it is
true that we cannot obey them. But Christ
came in the form of humanity, and by His
perfect obedience He proved that human-
ity and divinity combined can obey every
one of God's precepts."—Christ's
Object
Lessons,
page 314.
Growing in Grace
13.
What was Paul's experience in
pursuing the Christian's prize? Phil.
3:12-14.
14.
What admonition should we
follow? Phil. 3:15-17. Compare 2 Pe-
ter 3:18; Eph. 4:15.
L 19
3
Lesson 6, for August 8, 1959
Sanctification
MEMORY VERSE:
"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye
in Him: rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been
taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving." Col. 2:6, 7.
STUDY HELPS:
"The Acts of the Apostles," pages 539-545, 557-567; "Christ's
Object Lessons," 1941 ed., pp. 46-61; "Steps to Christ," 1956 and pocket eds.,
pp. 67-75 (1908 ed., pp. 71-80); "The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commen-
tary," on lesson texts; Lesson Help in "Review and Herald" of July 23.
AIM:
A clearer understanding of what sanctification is and of how it becomes
effective in the life.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
❑
Sunday: Key Words; Questions 1-3.
❑
Monday: Questions 4-7.
❑
Tuesday: Questions 8-10; read from
Check Here
Study Helps.
❑
Wednesday: Questions 11-13.
❑
Thursday: Read from Study Helps.
❑
Friday: Review entire lesson.
❑
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. What Sanctification Is
1.
Pressing toward the mark. Phil.
3:12-15.
2.
Fighting the good fight. 1 Tim.
6:11, 12.
3.
Building character. Col. 2:6, 7;
1 Peter 5:10.
II. What Sanctification Accomplishes
4.
A transformation of the life. Rom.
12:1, 2; 2 Cor. 7:1.
5.
John a shining example. Mark
3:17; John 13:23.
6.
The chastening of God. Heb. 12:
5, 6, 11; Rev. 3:19.
7.
Faith to endure testing. James
1:2-6.
III. Clothed With Christ's Righteousness
8.
Without a wedding garment.
Matt. 22:11, 12.
9.
One's own righteousness. Rom.
10:2, 3; Rev. 3:17.
10.
Holiness attained in this life.
Rev. 22:11.
IV. Like Christ at His Coming
11. Complete in God's will. Eph. 5:27;
Col. 4:12.
12.
Holy as God is holy. 2 Cor. 3:18;
1 Peter 1:15, 16.
13.
Faultless at Christ's coming.
1 Thess. 3:12, 13 ; 1 John 3:2 ;
Jude 24.
Key Words:
•
1.
Sanctification.
The Greek word for
sanctification, also translated "holiness,"
describes both the
process
of obtaining holi-
ness and the resultant
state
of holiness. If
a distinction is to be made between justi-
fication and sanctification it might be said
that one focuses attention on the sinner's
release from a state of unrighteousness,
and the other on his becoming and being
righteous.
2.
New Testament Terms for Sancti-
fication.
New Testament writers use such
expressions as: following after righteous-
ness, walking in newness of life, growing
up into Christ, growing in grace, adding
grace to grace, being built up, strengthened,
and established, being transformed, par-
taking of the divine nature, perfecting holi-
ness-until the Christian is "complete in all
the will of God." Col. 4:12.
3.
Terms Used in These Lesions.
In
this series of lessons "justification" (Lesson
5) refers to the transition from a life dedi-
[ 20 ]
cated to the pursuit of sin to one dedicated
to the pursuit of righteousness. "Santifica-
tion" refers to the process of character
transformation that accompanies a normal
Christian experience. Lesson 10 focuses at-
tention on the immediate and ultimate ob-
jectives of sanctification—"Christian Ma-
turity and Perfection."
THE LESSON
NOTE.—"A
noble character is earned by
individual effort through the merits and
grace of Christ. God gives the talents, the
powers of the mind; we form the character.
It is formed by hard, stern battles with
self. Conflict after conflict must be waged
against hereditary tendencies. We shall have
to criticize ourselves closely, and allow not
one unfavorable trait to remain uncor-
rected."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
1941 ed.,
p. 331.
3. What is included in sanctifica-
tion? Col. 2:6, 7; 1 Peter 5:10. Com-
pare Rom. 6:4.
Intro
duct
ion
Growing Up Into Christ:
"Many have
an idea that they must do some part of the
work alone. They, have trusted in Christ
for the forgiveness of sin, but now they
seek by their own efforts to live aright.
But every such effort must fail. Jesus says,
`Without Me ye can do nothing.' Our
growth in grace, our joy, our usefulness,—
all depend upon our union with Christ. It
is by communion with Him, daily, hourly,
—by abiding in Him,—that we are to grow
in grace. He is not only the Author but the
Finisher of our faith. It is Christ first and
last and always. He is to be with us, not
only at the beginning and the end of our
course, but at every step of the way."—
Steps to Christ,
1956 and pocket eds., p. 69.
"The righteousness by which we are justi-
fied is imputed; the righteousness by which
we are sanctified is imparted. The first is
our title to heaven, the second is our fitness
for
heaven."—Messages to Young People,
page 35.
What Sanctification Is
1.
What pathway of continuous ad-
vancement opens before the person
who has experienced justification by
faith in Jesus Christ? Phil. 3:12-15.
NoTE.—"The Scriptures plainly show that
the work of sanctification is progressive.
When in conversion the sinner finds peace
with God through the blood of the atone-
ment, the Christian life has but just begun.
Now he is to 'go on unto perfection;' to
grow up 'unto the measure of the stature
of the fullness of Christ.'
"—The Great
Controversy,
page 470.
2.
What comes into the life of a
person who has been justified by faith
in Christ? 1 Tim. 6:11, 12.
NOTE.—"Sanctification
consists in the
cheerful performance of daily duties in per-
fect obedience to the will of
God."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
page 360.
"True sanctification is an entire conform-
ity to the will of God."—The
Sanctified
Life,
page 9.
What Sanctification Accomplishes
4. As the process of sanctification
goes forward, what takes place in a
person's life? Rom. 12:1, 2; 2 Cor. 7:1.
NoTE.—As "the leaven hidden in the flour
works invisibly to bring the whole mass
under its leavening process; so the leaven
of truth works secretly, silently, steadily, to
transform the soul. The natural inclina-
tions are softened and subdued. New
thoughts, new feelings, new motives, are
implanted. A new standard of character is
set up—the life of Christ. The mind is
changed; the faculties are roused to action
in new lines. Man is not endowed with
new faculties, but the faculties he has are
sanctified. The conscience is awakened."—
Christ's Object Lessons,
pages 98, 99.
[
21]
5.
What shining example of char-
acter transformation is revealed in one
of Christ's disciples? Mark 3:17; John
13:23.
NoTE.—John, one of the "sons of thun-
der," became the beloved disciple. "John
did not naturally possess the loveliness of
character that his later experience re-
vealed. By nature he had serious defects.
He was not only proud, self-assertive, and
ambitious for honor, but impetuous, and
resentful under injury. He and his brother
were called 'sons of thunder.' Evil temper,
the desire for revenge, the spirit of criticism,
were all in the beloved disciple. But be-
neath all this the divine Teacher discerned
the ardent, sincere, loving heart."—The
Acts of the Apostles,
page 540.
"In the life of the disciple John true
sanctification is exemplified. During the
years of his close association with Christ,
he was often warned and cautioned by the
Saviour; and these reproofs he accepted.
. . . He yielded his resentful, ambitious
temper to the molding power of Christ, and
divine love wrought in him a transforma-
tion of character."—Ibid., p. 557.
6.
What discipline is often neces-
sary in the process of sanctification?
Heb. 12:5, 6, 11; Rev. 3:19.
NoTE.—"Before we are delivered from
Satan's power without, we must be de-
livered from his power within. The Lord
permits trials in order that we may be
cleansed from earthliness, from selfishness,
from harsh, un-Christlike traits of charac-
ter. He suffers the deep waters of affliction
to go over our souls in order that we may
know Him and Jesus Christ whom He has
sent, in order that we may have deep heart
longings to be cleansed from defilement,
and may come forth from the trial purer,
holier, happier. Often we enter the furnace
of trial with our souls darkened with self-
ishness; but if patient under the crucial
test, we shall come forth reflecting the di-
vine character."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
pages 174, 175.
7.
What provision has God made
AS IN POWER STEERING, GOD FURNISHES
SANCTIFYING
POWER; WE TURN THE WHEEL.
for testing and guidance along the
pathway of sanctification? James 1:
2-6.
NOTE.—"God's great object in the work-
ing out of His providences is to try men, to
give them opportunity to develop
charac-
ter."—Christ's Object Lessons,
page 283.
Clothed With Christ's
Righteousness
8.
In the parable of the wedding
feast, what searching question was
asked one of the guests? Matt. 22:
11, 12.
NOTE.—"By the wedding garment in the
parable is represented the pure, spotless
character which Christ's true followers will
possess. To the church it is given 'that she
should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and
white,' not having spot, or wrinkle, or any
such thing.' Rev. 19:8. Eph. 5:27. The
fine linen, says the Scripture, 'is the right-
eousness of saints.' It is the righteousness of
Christ, His own unblemished character, that
through faith is imparted to all who receive
Him as their personal
Saviour."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
page 310.
"When we submit ourselves to Christ, the
[ 22 ]
heart is united with His heart, the will is
merged in His will, the mind becomes one
with His mind, the thoughts are brought
into captivity to Him; we live His life. This
is what it means to be clothed with the gar-
ment of His righteousness."—Ibid., p. 312.
9.
Into what danger are those
likely to fall who do not understand
and submit to God's program of
righteousness? Rom. 10:2, 3; Rev.
3:17.
NorE.—"The effort to earn salvation by
one's own works inevitably leads men to
pile up human exactions as a barrier against
sin. For, seeing that they fail to keep the
law, they will devise rules and regulations
of their own to force themselves to obey.
All this turns the mind away from God to
self. His love dies out of the heart, and
with it perishes love for his fellow men."
—Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
1956 ed., p. 123.
10.
Should we expect to attain to a
state of holiness in this life or will
that come only after the close of pro-
bation? Rev. 22:11.
NOTE.—"There will be no future proba-
tion in which to prepare for eternity. It is
in this life that we are to put on the robe
of Christ's righteousness."—Christ's
Object
Lessons,
page 319.
Like Christ at His Coming
11.
What is the goal in the process
of sanctification? Eph. 5:27; Col. 4:12.
NOTE.—"A character formed according to
the divine likeness is the only treasure that
we can take from this world to the next."
—Christ's Object Lessons,
page 332.
12.
Toward what ideal is the Chris-
tian to strive? What will take place
as he does so? 2 Cor. 3:18; 1 Peter 1:
15, 16.
13.
When will the process of sanc-
tification be complete? 1 Thess. 3:12,
13; 1 John 3:2; Jude 24.
NOTE.—Justification takes but a moment;
sanctification requires a lifetime.
"There is no such thing as instantaneous
sanctification. True sanctification is a daily
work, continuing as long as life shall last."
—The Sanctified Life,
page 10.
Lesson 7, for August 15, 1959
Doing God's Will
MEMORY VERSE:
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by
the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and accept-
able, and perfect, will of God." Rom. 12:2.
STUDY HELPS:
"Christ's Object Lessons," 1941 ed., pp. 272-283; "Thoughts From
the Mount of Blessing," 1956 ed., pp. 147-152 (1943 ed., pp. 211-218); "The
Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary,"
on
lesson texts; Lesson Help in
"Review and Herald" of July 30.
AIM:
To
face the question: How faithful am
I
to my
responsibilities
as a child
of God?
[ 23
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
❑
Tuesday: Questions 7-10.
0
Sunday: Key Words and Expressions;
Wednesday: Questions 11-14.
0
Questions 1-3.
❑
Thursday: Read from Study Helps.
0
Monday: Questions 4-6; read from
Friday: Review entire lesson.
Study Helps.
❑
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
1.
Obedience the Test of Profession
1.
Salvation for those who obey.
Heb. 5:9.
2.
Basis of admission to kingdom.
Matt. 7:21-23.
3.
Evidence of love for Christ. John
14:15, 21, 23, 24.
II. Christ's Example and Enabling
Power
4.
Christ's constraining power. Rom.
8:3, 4, 6; 2 Cor. 5:14.
5.
Christ and His Father's will.
John 5:30; 6:38.
6.
Obedient unto death. Mark 14:36;
Phil. 2:8.
Ill. Our Responsibility for Known Truth
7.
Obedience commensurate with
knowledge. James 1:22-25 ; 4:17.
8.
Hearing and doing. Matt. 7:24-27;
21:28-32.
9.
Human tradition versus God's com-
mands. Mark 7:7-9.
10.
Faith does not set aside the law.
Rom. 3:31.
IV. God's Will and Man's Obedience
11.
Seeking to know God's will.
Rom. 12:2.
12.
Obedience from the heart. Rom.
6:17; Eph. 6:6.
13.
The new birth and sin. 1 John
3:6, 9; 5:18.
14.
Our Advocate. 1 John 2:1.
Key Words and Expressions:
1. Obey
and
Keep His Word.
The usual
Greek word for "obey" means literally "to
listen attentively," that is, in order to know
what one should do. The word for "keep"
means "to keep watch over," "to guard,"
"to protect," "to pay attention to." Obe-
dience, then, reflects diligent purpose to
know God's will and to abide by it.
2.
Constraineth.
"The love of Christ
constraineth us." 2 Cor. 5:14. The word
translated "constraineth" means "to hold
together," "to hold fast," "to urge," "to
impel," "to control." Divine love not only
paid the penalty for our sins, so providing
justification, but also imparts power to tri-
umph over sin, so making sanctification
possible.
3.
Transformed.
The Greek
metamor-
phoo,
"to transform," is the source of our
word "metamorphosis." Each stage in the
metamorphosis of a butterfly represents a
complete change in nature and appearance.
Thus the pupa, for instance, is altogether
different from the preceding caterpillar
stage, and the mature butterfly, in turn, in
no way resembles the pupa. This is the
word used in Matthew 17:2 to describe the
transfiguration of Christ on the mountain;
and in Romans
12:2
and 2 Corinthians 3:
18 of the change that takes place in the
Christian whereby he comes to resemble
Christ.
4.
Doth Not Commit Sin.
The tense of
the verb in the Greek for this expression as
found in 1 John 3:6, 9; 5:18, indicates that
it is more accurately rendered "does not
continue to sin," or "does not habitually
sin." The Greek verb forms clearly do not
mean that the one who has been born of
God will never again fall before tempta-
tion. They imply, instead, that he has com-
mitted himself to a pattern of life in which
he makes no provision for sinning, that it
is his continuing firm purpose to live in
harmony with that commitment, and that
his life gives marked evidence of increasing
freedom from sin.
L
24]
THE LESSON
Christ's Example and Enabling
Power
4. What means has God provided
by which He enables us to do His
will? Rom. 8:3, 4, 6; 2 Cor. 5:14. Com-
pare Phil. 2:13; Heb. 13:21.
Introduction
Obedience Prompted by Love:
"God does
not force the will or judgment of any. He
takes no pleasure in a slavish obedience. He
desires that the creatures of His hands shall
love Him because He is worthy of love. He
would have them obey Him because they
have an intelligent appreciation of His wis-
dom, justice, and benevolence. And all
who have a just conception of these quali-
ties will love Him because they are drawn
toward Him in admiration of His attri-
butes."—The
Great Controversy,
page 541.
Obedience the Test of Profession
1.
To whom have the blessings of
salvation been promised? Heb. 5:9.
2.
What relationship is there be-
tween doing God's will and obtaining
admission to His kingdom? Matt. 7:
21-23. Compare chaps. 5:19; 6:10.
NoTE.—"Profession is as nothing in the
scale. It is character that decides destiny."
—Christ's Object Lessons,
1941 ed., p. 74.
3.
Of what is obedience to God's re-
vealed will the visible evidence? John
14:15, 21, 23, 24. Compare Matt. 22:
37-40; 1 John 2:5.
NOTE.—"God's great object in the work-
ing out of His providences is to try men, to
give them opportunity to develop charac-
ter. Thus He proves whether they are obe-
dient or disobedient to His commands.
Good works do not purchase the love of
God, but they reveal that we possess
that love. If we surrender the will to God,
we shall not work in order to earn God's
love. His love as a free gift will be re-
ceived into the soul, and from love to Him
we shall delight to obey His command-
ments."—Christ's Object Lessons,
page 283.
NoTE.—"Through the grace of Christ we
may accomplish everything that God re-
quires."—Christ's Object Lessons,
page 301.
5.
How fully did Christ, living as
a man among men, submit to the will
of His Father? John 5:30; 6:38. Com-
pare Heb. 10:7.
NOTE.—"Jesus emptied Himself, and in
all that He did, self did not appear. He
subordinated all things to the will of His
Father."—Thoughts From the Mount of
Blessing,
1956 ed., p. 14.
6.
With what supreme demonstra-
tion of submission to the Father's will
did Christ provide us? Mark 14:36;
Phil. 2:8.
Our Responsibility for Known
Truth
7.
What responsibility accompanies
a knowledge of God's will? What re-
sults from a willful neglect of known
duty? James 1:22-25; 4:17. Compare
John 15:22; Acts 17:30.
NOTE.—"Every man is given sufficient
light for the discharge of the duties required
of him. Man's responsibilities are propor-
tionate to his opportunities and privileges.
God gives to everyone sufficient light and
grace to do the work He has given him to
do. If man fails to do that which a little
light shows to be his duty, greater light
[25
]
•
•
THE FIRST TEST WAS
OBEDIENCE; WE
WB FACE ME
SAME TEST TODAY.
would only reveal unfaithfulness, neglect
to improve the blessings
given."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
page 265.
8.
By what parables did Jesus il-
lustrate the danger of neglecting
known duty? Matt.
7:24
-
27; 21:28
-
32.
NOTE.
—
"The
test of sincerity is not in
words, but in deeds. . . . Words are of no
value unless they are accompanied with
appropriate
deeds."—Christ's Object Les-
sons,
page 272.
9.
What do men often substitute
for strict obedience to God's expressed
will? Mark 7:7-9.
NoTE.—"It is the love of self, the desire
for an easier way than God has appointed
that leads to the substitution of human
theories and traditions for the divine pre-
cepts."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 409.
10.
Does faith make obedience to
God's expressed will unnecessary?
Rom.
3:31.
Compare James 2:17-24.
NorE.—"Whatever our profession, it
amounts to nothing unless Christ is revealed
in works of righteousness."—Christ's
Ob-
ject Lessons,
page 313.
God's Will and Man's Obedience
11.
How only can we ascertain
God's perfect will for us? Rom.
12:2.
NorE.—"Our condemnation in the judg-
ment will not result from the fact that we
have been in error, but from the fact that
we have neglected heaven-sent opportuni-
ties for learning what is truth."—The
De-
sire of Ages,
page 490.
12.
What kind of obedience alone
is acceptable to God? Rom. 6:17;
Eph. 6:6.
NOTE.
—
"The
expulsion of sin is the act
of the soul itself. True, we have no power
to free ourselves from Satan's control; but
when we desire to be set free from sin, and
in our great need cry out for a power out
of and above ourselves, the powers of the
soul are imbued with the divine energy of
the Holy Spirit, and they obey the dictates
of the will in fulfilling the will of God."—
The Desire of Ages,
page 466.
"All true obedience comes from the heart.
It was heart work with Christ. And if we
consent, He will so identify Himself with
our thoughts and aims, so blend our hearts
and minds into conformity to His will, that
when obeying Him we shall be but carry-
ing out our own impulses."—Ibid., p. 668.
13.
What is the relation to sin of
one who is born again? 1 John
3:6,
9;
5:18. Compare Rom. 6:6-16.
NoTE.—"When it is in the heart to obey
God, when efforts are put forth to this end,
Jesus accepts this disposition and effort as
man's best service, and He makes up for the
deficiency with His own divine merits."—
Ellen G. White,
My Life Today,
page 250.
"So long as we do not consent to sin,
there is no power, whether human or satanic,
that can bring a stain upon, the soul."—
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
1956
ed., p. 32.
[26
1
14. Why is the child of
God not
without hope
should he fall into sin?
1 John 2:1. Compare 1 John
1:7
-
10.
NOTE.-"When
we are clothed with the
righteousness of Christ, we shall have no
relish for sin; for Christ will be working
with us. We may make mistakes, but we
will hate the sin that caused the suffering
of the Son of
God."-Messages to Young
People,
page 338.
"The character is revealed, not by occa-
sional good deeds and occasional misdeeds,
but by the tendency of the habitual words
and
acts."-Steps to Christ,
1956 and
pocket eds., pp. 57, 58.
Lesson 8, for August 22, 1959
Faith and Trust
MEMORY VERSE:
"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is
the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." 1 John 5:4.
STUDY HELPS:
"Steps to Christ," 1956 and pocket eds., pp. 105-113 (1908 ed., pp.
110-118); "The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary," on lesson texts;
Lesson Help in "Review and Herald" of August 6.
AIM:
To strengthen my own faith and to apply it more effectively to the problems
of life.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
❑
Sunday: Key Words and Expres-
sions; Questions 1-4.
Monday: Questions 5-7.
❑
Check Here
Tuesday: Questions 8, 9; read from
Study Helps.
Wednesday: Questions 10-13.
Thursday: Read from Study Helps.
Friday: Review entire lesson.
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. What Faith Is
1.
According to your faith. Matt.
9:29.
2.
Evidence of the unseen. Heb. 11:1.
3.
A shield and breastplate. Eph.
6:16; 1 Thess. 5:8.
4.
An essential gift. Heb. 11:6.
II. How Faith Operates
5.
Christ as Author and Finisher.
Heb. 12:2.
6.
Love the motive force. Gal. 5:6.
7.
Good works attest faith. James
2:17, 18, 20.
III. How to Cultivate Faith
8.
Hearing the word. Rom. 10:17;
2 Tim. 3:15.
9.
Christ in the heart. Gal. 2:20;
Eph. 3:17.
IV. Applying Faith to Life's Problems
10.
Faith to meet trial and temptation.
James 1:2-4.
11.
Faith to overcome obstacles.
Matt. 17:20; 1 John 5:4.
12.
Faith for the necessities of life.
Matt. 6:31-33.
13.
Faith in God's abiding presence.
Heb. 13:5 ; 1 Peter 5:7.
[ 27 ]
Key Words and Expressions:
1.
Author.
The word "author" in He-
brews 12:2 is from a Greek word which
means "leader," "chief," "founder," "origi-
nator." The r
eeks used this word in desig-
nating the head progenitor of a clan, of
heroes, and as a divine name for Apollo.
Christ is the "founder," or "source" of our
faith. He is also its "finisher," or "com-
pleter."
2.
Temptation.
In the Greek New Tes-
tament this word always means "test,"
"trial," "affliction," "trouble," an "entice-
ment" to sin. In addition to "temptation"
in the usual sense it includes such trials and
tests as sickness, persecution, poverty, and
calamity of various kinds. God tests a per-
son in order to strengthen and develop
character, whereas Satan confronts a man
with tests in order to break down and de-
stroy character.
3.
Take No Thought.
The Greek ex-
pression means literally, "to care for," "to
be anxious," "to be troubled [with cares],"
"to think earnestly upon." In old English
"to take thought" meant "to be anxious"
about something, that is, "to worry"
about it.
4.
Substance
and
Evidence.
The Greek
word translated "substance" means literally,
"substantial nature," "essence," "actual be-
ing," "reality," and in an extended sense as
in Hebrews 11:1, "confident assurance."
The word translated "evidence" means
"proof," "conviction." Genuine faith rests
upon a firm underlying "substance" of suf-
ficient evidence to warrant confidence in
what is not yet seen. In the ancient papyri
hupostasis
is used of the legal documents
by which a person could prove ownership
of property. The documents were not the
property, but they provided evidence of its
existence and of his right to it. Faith is our
"title deed" to what God has promised.
THE LESSON
Introduction
Faith Based on Evidence:
"God never
asks us to believe, without giving sufficient
evidence upon which to base our faith. His
existence, His character, the truthfulness
of His word, are all established by testi-
mony that appeals to our reason; and this
testimony is abundant. Yet God has never
removed the possibility of doubt. Our faith
must rest upon evidence, not demonstration.
Those who wish to doubt will have oppor-
tunity; while those who really desire to
know the truth will find plenty of evidence
on which to rest their
faith."—Steps to
Christ,
1956 and pocket eds., p. 105.
What Faith Is
1.
What is the measure of our ca-
pacity to receive the boundless bless-
ings of heaven? Matt. 9:29.
2.
How does the New Testament
define faith? Heb. 11:1. Compare
Matt. 21:21.
NOTE.—"Faith looks beyond the difficul-
ties, and lays hold of the unseen, even
Omnipotence, therefore it cannot be baf-
fled. Faith is the clasping of the hand of
Christ in every emergency."—Gospel
Work-
ers,
page 262.
"Genuine faith is life. A living faith
means an increase of vigor, a confiding
trust, by which the soul becomes a conquer-
ing power."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 347.
3.
To what do the New Testament
writers compare faith? Why is this
comparison appropriate? Eph. 6:16;
1 Thess. 5:8.
4.
Why is faith essential? Heb. 11:
6. Compare Rom. 1:17; 5:2.
NOTE.—"God never leads His children
otherwise than they would choose to be
led, if they could see the end from the be-
ginning, and discern the glory of the pur-
pose which they are fulfilling as coworkers
with
Him."—The Desire of Ages,
pages 224,
225.
28
How Faith Operates
5.
Where does the Christian's faith
find its source and center? Heb. 12:2.
Compare Gal. 2:16.
NOTE.—"Our lives may seem a tangle;
but as we commit ourselves to the wise
Master Worker, He will bring out the pat-
tern of life and character that will be to
His own glory."—The
Desire of Ages,
page
331.
6.
What makes faith effective in
the life? Gal. 5:6. Compare Rev. 3:18.
NOTE.—"The gold tried in the fire is faith
that works by love. Only this can bring
us into harmony with
God."—Christ's Ob-
ject Lessons,
1941 ed., p. 158.
7.
What of necessity accompanies
genuine faith and attests its sincerity?
James 2:17, 18, 20.
NorE.—"Genuine faith will be manifested
in good works; for good works are the
fruits of faith. As God works in the heart,
and man surrenders his will to God, and
co-operates with God, he works out in the
life what God works in by the Holy Spirit,
and there is harmony between the purpose
of the heart and the practice of the life."
—Ellen G. White,
Selected Messages,
b. 1,
p. 397.
How to Cultivate Faith
8.
What means has God provided
for the cultivation or development of
faith? Rom. 10:17; 2 Tim. 3:15. Com-
pare Gal. 5:22, 23.
NoTE.—"The Scriptures
are the
great
agency in the transformation of character.
Christ prayed, 'Sanctify them through Thy
truth; Thy word is truth.' John 17:17. If
studied and obeyed, the word of God works
in the heart, subduing every unholy attri-
bute. The Holy Spirit comes to convict of
sin, and the faith that springs up in the
heart works by love to Christ, conforming
us in body, soul, and spirit to His own
image. Then God can use us to do His
will."—Christ's Object Lessons,
page 100.
9.
What does our faith enable
Christ to do in and for us? Gal. 2:20;
Eph. 3:17.
NOTE.—"It is by the invisible union of
the soul with Christ, through faith, that
the spiritual life is nourished."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
page 47.
Applying Faith to Life's Problems
10.
What is the role of faith in
meeting trial and temptation? What
Christian grace results when faith
proves triumphant under test? James
1:2-4.
NoTE.—"If received in faith, the trial
that seems so bitter and hard to bear will
prove a blessing. The cruel blow that
blights the joys of earth will be the means
of turning our eyes to heaven. How many
there are who would never have known Je-
sus had not sorrow led them to seek com-
[ 29
fort in Him
!"—Thoughts From the Mount
of Blessing,
1956 ed., p. 10.
11. What is the role of faith in
overcoming obstacles and dangers?
Matt. 17:20; 1 John 5:4. Compare
Heb. 11:33-38.
NOTE.—"If you will seek the Lord and
be converted every day; if you will of your
own spiritual choice be free and joyous in
God; if with gladsome consent of heart to
His gracious call you come wearing the
yoke of Christ,—the yoke of obedience and
service,—all your murmurings will be stilled,
all your difficulties will be removed, all
the perplexing problems that now confront
you will be
solved."—Thoughts From the
Mount of Blessing,
page 101.
"There is in genuine faith a buoyancy, a
steadfastness of principle, and a fixedness
of purpose that neither time nor toil can
weaken."—Christ's Object Lessons,
page
147.
Christ "knew that the life of His trusting
disciples would be like His, a series of un-
interrupted victories, not seen to be such
here, but recognized as such in the great
hereafter."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 679.
12.
What assurance do we have
that God knows our every need and
has made provision for it? Matt. 6:
31-33.
13.
How confident may we
be
of
the Saviour's presence amid the vicis-
situdes of life? Heb. 13:5; 1 Peter 5:7.
Compare Rom. 8:28.
NoTE.—"Worry is blind, and cannot dis-
cern the future; but Jesus sees the end from
the beginning. In every difficulty He has
His way prepared to bring relief. Our
heavenly Father has a thousand ways to
provide for us, of which we know nothing.
Those who accept the one principle of mak-
ing the service and honor of God supreme
will find perplexities vanish, and a plain
path before their feet."—The
Desire of
Ages,
page 330.
Lesson 9, for August 29, 1959
Love—The Crowning Virtue
MEMORY VERSE:
"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Eph. 4:32.
STUDY HELPS:
"Christ's Object Lessons," 1941 ed., pp. 185-192, 376-389; "The
Desire of Ages," pages 19-22, 497-505; "Steps to Christ," 1956 and pocket eds.,
pp. 9-15 (1908 ed., pp. 9-18); "The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary,"
on lesson texts; Lesson Help in "Review and Herald" of August 13.
AIM:
A deeper
appreciation of the love of God; a more consistent application of
the golden rule.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
❑
Sunday: Key Words and Phrases;
Questions 1-4.
0
Monday: Questions 5-7;
read from
Study Helps.
0
Check Here
Tuesday: Questions 8-11.
❑
Wednesday: Questions 12-14; read
from Study Helps.
❑
Thursday: Read from Study
Helps.
❑
Friday: Review entire lesson.
❑
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. God's Love for Us
1.
The scope of love. Matt. 5:43-47.
2.
Evidence of God's love. Rom. 5:8;
1 John 4:8-10.
3.
God chastens in love. Heb. 12:6 ;
Rev. 3:19.
4.
Appreciating God's love. Rom. 5:5;
Eph. 3:17-19.
II. Our Response to God's Love
5.
Men love darkness. John 3:19.
6.
Love not the world. Col. 3 :2 ;
1 John 2:15.
7.
Obedience attests love. John
14:15, 23, 24; 1 John 5:3.
III. Applying the Golden Rule
8.
Loving one another. John 13:34;
1 John 2:9-11; 3:14; 4:19-21.
9.
As God deals with us. Matt. 6:14,
15; Luke 6:36; Eph. 4:32.
10.
The golden rule. Matt. 7:12 ; 19:19.
11.
Our neighbor. Luke 10:30-37.
IV. The Supremacy of Love
12.
The best gift. 1 Cor. 13:1-3.
13.
Love in action. 1 Cor. 13:4-8.
14.
Above all things. 1 Cor. 13:9,
10, 13.
Key Words and Phrases:
1.
Love
and
Charity.
These words are
translated from a word whose wealth of
meaning is difficult to express in English.
The expression in Greek is not an affection-
ate, sentimental love based on the feelings,
subject to change as the feelings change,
but is essentially an expression of the
higher powers of the mind and intelligence.
In the New Testament it is altogether self-
less and reflects a considered interest in the
happiness and well-being of others, in recog-
nition of their intrinsic worth in God's
sight. It does not exclude feeling, but adds
principle to feeling in such a way that
principle controls feeling. It is love in its
highest and truest form. It is
a
divine
principle of thought and action that modi-
fies the character, governs the impulses,
controls the passions, and ennobles the af-
fections.
2.
Set your affection on.
Here the
Greek word means "to think of," "to care
for," "to set the mind and heart on," "to
strive after." It represents the united action
of a person's affections and powers of rea-
son, with emphasis on the role of intelli-
gence. In Colossians 3:2 it might be trans-'
lated, "continually think of," or "continu-
ally pay attention to."
3.
Chastening.
The Greek word means
"upbringing," "training," "instruction," "dis-
cipline," "correction." It refers to he en-
tire process by which children are prepared
for the responsibilities of adult life. It may
include, but does not specifically denote,
remedial discipline as implied in "punish-
ment" and "chastening." In its true sense,
"chastening," or "discipline," includes all
training that corrects, molds, strengthens,
and perfects character.
THE LESSON
Introduction
Love Is the Golden Rule:
"In your as-
sociation with others, put yourself in their
place. Enter into their feelings, their diffi-
culties, their disappointments,
.
their joys,
and their sorrows. Identify yourself with
them, and then do to them as, were you to
exchange places with them, you would wish
them to deal with you.. . .
"Oh, what rays of softness' and beauty
shone forth in the daily life of our Saviour!
What sweetness flowed from His very pres-
ence! The same spirit will be revealed in
His children. Those with whom Christ
dwells will be surrounded with a divine
atmosphere. Their white robes of purity
will be fragrant with perfume from the
garden of the Lord. Their faces will re-
flect light from His, brightening the path
for stumbling and weary
feet."-Thoughts
From the Mount of Blessing,
1956 ed., pp.
134, 135.
God's Love for Us
1. What is the scope of the word
"love" as it is used in the New Testa-
ment? Matt. 5:43-47.
E 81 3
NOTE.—"Love modifies the character,
governs the impulses, subdues enmity, and
ennobles the affections. This love is as
broad as the universe, and is in harmony
with that of the angel workers. Cherished
in the heart, it sweetens the entire life and
sheds its blessing upon all around."—
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
page 38.
2.
In what is God's infinite love
most fully revealed? Rom. 5:8; 1 John
4:8-10.
NOTE.—"The glory shining in the face of
Jesus is the glory of self-sacrificing love.
In the light from Calvary it will be seen
that the law of self-renouncing love is the
law of life for earth and heaven."—The
De-
sire of Ages,
page 20.
3.
Of what are the difficult experi-
ences of life an evidence? Heb. 12:6;
Rev. 3:19.
NOTE.—"Through conflict the spiritual
life is strengthened. Trials well borne will
develop steadfastness of character and
precious spiritual graces. The perfect fruit
of faith, meekness, and love often matures
best amid storm clouds and darkness."—
Christ's Object Lessons,
1941 ed., p. 61.
4.
How may we come more fully
to understand and appreciate God's
love for us? Rom. 5:5; Eph. 3:17-19.
Our Response to God's Love
5.
Upon what does natural man
place his affections? John 3:19. Com-
pare 2 Tim. 4:10.
6.
What admonition is given the
Christian with respect to his affec-
tions? Col. 3:2; 1 John 2:15.
NOTE.—"Love must be the principle of
action. Love is the underlying principle of
God's government in heaven and earth, and
it must be the foundation of the Christian's
character. This alone can make and keep
him steadfast. This alone can enable him
to withstand trial and temptation."—
Christ's Object Lessons,
page 49.
7.
What will sincere love for God
lead us to do? John 14:15, 23, 24;
1 John 5:3. Compare Matt. 22:36-40.
NorE.—"In the heart renewed by divine
grace, love is the ruling principle of action.
It modifies the character, governs the im-
pulses, controls the passions, and ennobles
the affections. This love, cherished in the
soul, sweetens the life and sheds a refining
influence on all around."—The
Acts of the
Apostles,
page 551.
Applying the Golden Rule
8.
How does sincere love for God
find its truest expression? John 13:34.
Compare 1 John 2:9-11; 3:14; 4:19-21.
NOTE.—"Love is the basis of godliness.
Whatever the profession, no man has pure
love to God unless he has unselfish love for
his brother. . . . When self is merged in
Christ, love springs forth spontaneously."
—Christ's Object Lessons,
page 384.
9.
What two strong incentives has
God given us for being merciful to-
ward our fellow men, even when they
may not deserve mercy? Matt. 6:14,
15. Compare Luke 6:36; Eph. 4:32;
1 John 4:11, 12.
NoTE.—"He who refuses to forgive is
thereby casting away his own hope of par-
don."—Christ's Object Lessons,
page 247.
10.
What practical measure do we
have by which to gauge our love for
others? Matt. 7:12; 19:19. Compare
Phil. 2:2-4.
[ 32 ]
NoTE.—"When those who profess the
name of Christ shall practice the principles
of the golden rule, the same power will
attend the gospel as in apostolic times."—
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
page
137.
11. Which parable of our Lord
aptly illustrates the way in which sin-
cere love for our fellow men will find
expression? What principles are
therein set forth? Luke 10:30-37.
NOTE.—"Our neighbor is every person
who needs our help. Our neighbor is every
soul who is wounded and bruised by the ad-
versary. Our neighbor is every one who is
the property of
God."—Christ's Object Les-
sons,
page 376.
"We should anticipate the sorrows, the
difficulties, the troubles of others."—Ibid.,
p. 386.
God "permits us to come in contact with
suffering and calamity in order to call us
out of our selfishness; He seeks to develop
in us the attributes of His character—com-
passion, tenderness, and love. By accepting
this work of ministry we place ourselves in
His school, to be fitted for the courts of
God."—Ibid.,
pp. 388, 389.
The Supremacy of Love
12.
What only can give true value
to eloquence, knowledge, faith, good
works, martyrdom? 1 Cor. 13:1-3.
NoTE.—"In words which from that day
to this have been to men and women a
source of inspiration and encouragement,
Paul set forth the importance of that love
which should be cherished by the followers
of Christ..
"No matter how high the profession, he
whose heart is not filled with love for God
and his fellow men is not a true disciple of
Christ. Though he should possess great
faith and have power even to work mira-
cles, yet without love his faith would be
worthless. He might display great liber-
ality; but should he, from some other mo-
tive than genuine love, bestow all his goods
to feed the poor, the act would not com-
mend him to the favor of God. In his zeal
he might even meet a martyr's death, yet if
not actuated by love, he would be regarded
by God as a deluded enthusiast or an am-
bitious hypocrite."—The
Acts of the Apos-
tles,
pages 318, 319.
13.
What are some of the charac-
teristics of love? 1 Cor. 13:4-8.
14.
How is the supremacy of love
stated? 1 Cor. 13:9, 10, 13.
Tape-recorded mission appeals for the Thirteenth Sabbath projects are
available for offering promotion in the Sabbath school. Order through
your Book and Bible House. Price, $2 a quarter.
[ 33 ]
Lesson 10, for September 5, 1959
Christian Maturity and Perfection
MEMORY VERSE:
"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven
is perfect." Matt. 5:48.
STUDY HELPS:
"Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing," 1956 ed., pp. 76-78 (1943
ed., pp. 116-118); "Steps to Christ," 1956 and pocket eds., pp. 115-126 (1908
ed., pp. 119-132); "The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary," on lesson
texts; Lesson Help in "Review and Herald" of August 20.
AIM:
An understanding of what it means to have a mature Christian experience.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
❑
Sunday: Key Words and Expressions;
Questions 1-4.
❑
Monday: Questions 5-7; read from
Study Helps.
❑
Check Here
Tuesday: Questions 8-11.
❑
Wednesday: Questions 12-14; read
from Study Helps.
Thursday: Read from Study Helps.
Friday: Review entire lesson..
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
1. The Ideal of Perfection
1.
"Be ye therefore perfect." Matt.
5:48.
2.
Perfection a goal to attain.
Phil.
3:12-16.
3.
"Perfect" in this life. 1 Cor. 2:6;
Phil. 3:15.
4.
All things through Christ. Rom.
8:1-4; Phil. 4:13.
II. The Means of Perfection
.5. The living Word; the written
word. 2 Tim. 3 :16, 17; Heb.
13:20, 21.
6.
Looking unto Jesus. Heb. 12:1, 2.
7.
Suffering chastening, trials. Heb.
12 :11 ; James 1:12.
III.
.
Marks of Maturity
8.
Control of the tongue. James 3:2.
9.
Patience under test. James 1:4.
10.
Fortitude when tried. Acts 20:24;
2 Cor. 4:8-11.
11.
The bond of perfection. Col.
3:14.
IV. Like Christ at His Coming
12.
Growth in understanding and prac-
tice. 1 Peter 4:13, 14.
13.
Christian maturity. Eph. 4:13, 15;
Heb. 6:1.
14.
Character fixed when probation
closes. 1 John 3:2, 3; Rev. 22:11.
Key Words and Expressions:
1.
Perfect.
The adjective thus trans-
lated means "full grown," "mature," "com-
plete," "[what has] reached the goal." In
Greek literature it is used of flawless sacri-
ficial victims, of full-grown or mature ani-
mals, of mature persons, of trained and
fully qualified professional men. The idea
of maturity is evident in such passages as
1 Corinthians 14:20 (translated "men") ;
Eph. 4:13, 14; Heb. 5:13, 14 (translated "of
full age"). The verb form means "to fin-
ish," "to complete," "to perfect."
2.
Lay Aside Every Weight.
The pic-
ture is of an overweight athlete stripping
off excess fat that would be a handicap to
him in a forthcoming athletic contest. The
Greeks used the expression in this sense, and
since Hebrews 12:1, 2 pictures the Christian
134
race in terms of an athletic contest this is
probably Paul's meaning here.
3.
Captain.
This word in Hebrews 2:
10 is from the same Greek word as "author"
in chapter 12:2. Read the discussion of this
word in Lesson 8.
4.
Conversation.
The Greek word here
translated "conversation" means "manner
of life," "conduct," "behavior." It does not
mean "conversation" in the sense of
"speech," but would include speech as one
aspect of behavior, or conduct.
THE LESSON
"While we cannot claim perfection of the
flesh, we may have Christian perfection of
the soul. . . . The conscience can be freed
from condemnation. Through faith in His
blood, all may be made perfect in Christ
Jesus. Thank God that we are not dealing
with impossibilities. We may claim sancti-
fication. We may enjoy the favor of God."
—Ellen G. White, in
General Conference
Bulletin,
April
23,
1901.
4. How is present perfection made
possible? Rom. 8:1-4; Phil.
4:13.
Introduction
"All who consecrate soul, body, and
spirit to God will be constantly receiving a
new endowment of physical and mental
power. The inexhaustible supplies of heaven
are at their command. Christ gives them
the breath of His own spirit, the life of
His own life. The Holy Spirit puts forth
its highest energies to work in heart and
mind. The grace of God enlarges and mul-
tiplies their faculties, and every perfection
of the divine nature comes to their assis-
tance in the work of saving souls. Through
co-operation with Christ they are complete
in Him, and in their human weakness they
are enabled to do the deeds of Omnipo-
tence."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 827.
The Ideal of Perfection
1.
What ideal did the Saviour set
before those who aspire to enter the
kingdom of heaven? Matt. 5:48.
2.
What is the meaning of the word
"perfect" when used in the New Tes-
tament to describe the ideal Christian
experience? Phil. 3:12-16.
NorE.—"In Christ, God has provided
means for subduing every sinful trait, and
resisting every temptation, however strong."
—The Desire of Ages,
page 429.
"As the will of man co-operates with the
will of God, it becomes omnipotent. What-
ever is to be done at His command may be
accomplished in His strength. All His bid-
dings are enablings."—Christ's
Object Les-
sons,
page 333.
"God reaches for the hand of faith in us
to direct it to lay fast hold upon the di-
vinity of Christ, that we may attain to per-
fection of character."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 123.
The Means of Perfection
3. Is Christian perfection a present
possibility or a distant goal we are to
strive toward, but can never attain in
this life? 1 Cor. 2:6; Phil. 3:15.
NorE.—"At every stage of development
our life may be perfhct; yet if God's pur-
pose for us is fulfilled, there will be con-
tinual advancement. Sanctification is the
work of a lifetime."—Christ's
Object Les-
sons,
1941 ed., p. 65.
5. What has God provided to en-
able us to attain perfection? 2 Tim.
3:16, 17; Heb. 13:20, 21.
NoTE.—"When one turns away from hu-
man imperfections to behold Jesus, a di-
vine transformation takes place in the char-
acter. The Spirit of Christ working upon
the heart conforms it to His image."—
Christ's Object Lessons,
page 250.
"In every command and in every prom-
[35]
ise of the word of God is the power, the
very life of God, by which the command
may be fulfilled and the promise realized.
He who by faith receives the word is re-
ceiving the very life and character of God.
. . . Receive into the soul by faith the in-
corruptible seed of the word, and it will
bring forth a character and a life after the
similitude of the character and the life of
God."—/bid.,
p. 38.
"Received into the heart, the leaven of
truth will regulate the desires, purify the
thoughts, and sweeten the disposition. It
quickens the faculties of the mind and the
energies of the soul. It enlarges the capacity
for feeling, for loving."—Ibid., p. 101.
6.
What must we do in order to
reach perfection? Heb. 12:1, 2.
NoTE.—"Let no one say, I cannot remedy
my defects of character. If you come to
this decision, you will certainly fail of ob-
taining everlasting life. The impossibility
lies in your own will. If you will not, then
you can not overcome. The real difficulty
arises from the corruption of an unsancti-
fied heart, and an unwillingness to submit
to the control of
God."—Christ's Object
Lessons,
page 331.
"We cannot equal the pattern ; but we
shall not be approved of God if we do not
copy it and, according to the ability which
God has given, resemble
it."—Testimonies,
vol. 2, p. 549.
"Remember that you will never reach a
higher standard than you yourself set."—
Christ's Object Lessons,
page 331.
7.
What experiences in particular
contribute to character development?
Heb. 12:11; James 1:12. Compare
Heb. 2:10.
NOTE. —"The omnipotent power of the
Holy Spirit is the defense of every contrite
soul. Not one that in penitence and faith
has claimed His protection will Christ per-
mit to pass under the enemy's power. The
Saviour is by the side of His tempted and
tried ones. With Him there can be no such
thing as failure, loss, impossibility, or de-
feat; we can do all things through Him
who strengthens
us."—The Desire of Ages,
page 490.
[ 36
THE SCULPTOR HAS NO MODEL FOR
PHYSICAL PERFECTION; CHRIST IS
f039-10
OUR
CHARACTER MODEL.
Marks of Maturity
8.
What trait of character is singled
out as an important mark of Christian
perfection? James 3:2.
NoTE.—"The highest evidence of no-
bility in a Christian is self-control."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 301.
9.
What noble grace is mentioned
as one evidence of a mature Christian
experience? James 1:4.
10.
What attitude toward the vicis-
situdes of life is characteristic of the
mature Christian? Acts 20:24; 2 Cor.
4:8-11.
11.
What is declared to be the bond
of perfection? Col. 3:14. Compare
1 Cor. 13:13.
Like Christ at His Coming
12.
What areas of Christian growth
and development does Peter single out
for special attention? 1 Peter 4:13, 14.
13. What is the ultimate standard
of the Christian? Eph.
4:13,
15; Heb.
6:1. Compare 1 Peter 1:15.
NOTE.—"The ideal of Christian character
is Christlikeness. As the Son of man was
perfect in His life, so His followers are to
be perfect in their life."—The
Desire of
Ages,
page 311.
"By beholding Jesus we receive a living,
expanding principle in the heart, and the
Holy Spirit carries on the work, and the
believer advances from grace to grace, from
strength to strength, from character to
character. He conforms to the image of
Christ, until in spiritual growth he attains
unto the measure of the full stature in
Christ Jesus."—Ellen G. White,
Selected
Messages,
b. 1, p. 395.
14. Until what time may we ex-
pect the process of character perfec-
tion to go forward? 1 John
3:2, 3;
Rev. 22:11. Compare 1 Thess. 3:13.
NorE.—"Christ is seeking to reproduce
Himself in the hearts of men." "When the
character of Christ shall be perfectly re-
produced in His people, then He will come
to claim them as His
own."—Christ's Ob-
ject Lessons,
pages 67, 69.
Lesson 11, for September 12, 1959
The Return of Our Lord
MEMORY VERSE:
"Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the
Lord draweth nigh." James 5:8.
STUDY HELPS:
"Christ's Object Lessons," 1941 ed., pp. 405-421; "The Great Con-
troversy," pages 640-646; "The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary," on
lesson texts; Lesson Help in "Review and Herald" of August 27.
AIM:
A deeper longing for the return of Jesus and increased earnestness in pre-
paring to meet Him.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
❑
Sunday: Key Words; Questions 1-3.
❑
Monday: Questions 4-6; read from
Study Helps.
❑
Check Here
Tuesday: Questions 7, 8; read from
Study Helps.
❑
Wednesday: Questions 9-13.
❑
Thursday: Read from Study Helps.
❑
Friday: Review entire lesson.
❑
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. The Hope of Christ's Coming
1.
"That blessed hope." Titus 2:11-14.
2.
Our Lord's promise. John 14:1-3.
3.
To those who await His coming.
Heb. 9:28.
II. The Purpose of Christ's Coming
4. To reward every man. Matt.
16:27; Rev. 22:12.
5.
All rewarded together. 2 Tim.
4:1, 8.
6.
Resurrected, immortalized, trans-
lated. 1 Cor. 15:51-54 ; 1 Thess.
4:15-17.
III. The Manner of Christ's Coming
7.
Jesus' and Paul's descriptions.
Matt. 24:31; 1 Cor. 15:52 ;
1 Thess. 4:16.
8.
Every eye shall
see
Him. Matt.
24:27; Rev. 1:7.
C
37]
'
IV. Preparation for Christ's Coming
9.
Watch and be ready. Matt. 24:
42, 44.
10.
Purification from sin. 1 John 3:2, 3.
11.
The ten virgins. Matt. 25:1-13.
12.
Seeming delay; false prophets;
pleasure. Matt. 24:4, 5, 48;
Luke 21:34-36.
13.
Patience. James 5:7, 8 ; 1 Peter
1:7, 13.
Key Words:
1.
Coming.
The original Greek word
means "presence," or "arrival." In the
papyri it is used of the visit of an emperor
or a king and of the arrival of a Roman
general to celebrate a triumphal procession.
The word thus appropriately describes
Christ's return as King of kings. Some-
times it stresses presence as opposed to ab-
sence. It is the word for "coming" in such
passages as Matthew 24:27 and 2 Thessa-
lonians 2:1, 8.
2.
Appearing.
This is the usual trans-
lation of the original Greek word meaning
"visible manifestation," "an appearing,"
"an appearance." In 2 Thessalonians 2:8 it
is translated "brightness," but elsewhere
usually "appearing," as in 2 Timothy 4:1,
8; Titus 2:13. In classical Greek it describes
the sudden appearance of an enemy in war
and the supposed appearances of heathen
deities to their worshipers. In the papyri
it is used of the inauguration of the em-
peror Caligula. The New Testament ap-
plies it to both the first and second advents
of our Lord. In 2 Thessalonians 2:8 Paul
speaks of the "brightness" of Christ's "com-
ing," and seems to stress the visible pres-
ence of Christ following His appearing.
3.
Revelation.
The Greek
apokalupsis,
"revelation," "disclosure," is used once (1
Peter 1:13) of Christ's second advent. The
verb form also occurs once (Luke 17:30).
It is also translated "coming" (1 Cor. 1:7)
and "appearing" (1 Peter 1:7). John's title
for the book of Revelation was "Apocalypse
of Jesus Christ." The word stresses the
manifestation of Christ to His waiting peo-
ple after being so long hidden from their
view.
THE LESSON
Paul speak of the return of Jesus? Ti-
tus 2:11-14.
Introduction
"By giving the gospel to the world it is
in our power to hasten our Lord's return.
We are not only to look for but to hasten
the coming of the day of God. 2 Peter 3:
12, margin. Had the church of Christ done
her appointed work as the Lord ordained,
the whole world would before this have
been warned, and the Lord Jesus would
have come to our earth in power and great
glory."—The
Desire of Ages,
pages 633, 634.
In the parable of the ten virgins "the
coming of the bridegroom was at midnight
—the darkest hour. So the coming of
Christ will take place in the darkest period
of this earth's history.. . . The great apos-
tasy will develop into darkness deep as
midnight, impenetrable as sackcloth of hair.
To God's people it will be a night of trial,
a night of weeping, a night of persecution
for the truth's sake. But out of that night
of darkness God's light will shine."—
Christ's Object Lessons,
pages 414, 415.
The Hope of Christ's Coming
1. In what terms does the apostle
Nora.—The form of the Greek word of
verse 11 translated "hath appeared" makes
this a clear reference to the first advent, as
the noun form of the same word in verse
13 refers to the second advent.
2. What promise did our Lord
make with respect to His return?' John
14:1-3.
Nora.—"Let not." The form of the verb
in Greek implies, "stop letting" your heart
be troubled. Christ's going away was to be
the disciples' assurance that He would come
again. Acts 1:11.
The word for "mansions"
(monai)
means
"permanent abiding places." Compare Ps.
23:6. "While He [Christ] was building
mansions for them [the disciples], they
were to build characters after the divine
similitude."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 663.
[38]
WHICH BOY IS PREPARED TO
MEET DADDY? ARE YOU EAGER
FOR YOUR LORD'S RETURN?
3.
Who will be ready for Jesus
when He comes again? Heb. 9:28.
NOTE.—"Look
for Him." Literally, "wait
it out for Him," that is, keep on waiting
until Christ actually appears.
The Purpose of Christ's Coming
4.
For what purpose does Jesus re-
turn to earth a second time? Matt.
16:27; Rev. 22:12. Compare Heb. 9:
27, 28.
No4.—"The weakest saint, as well as
the strongest, may wear the crown of im-
mortal glory. All may win who, through
the power of divine grace, bring their lives
into conformity to the will of Christ. . . .
Every act casts its weight into the scale
that determines life's victory or defeat.
And the reward given to those who win
will be in proportion to the energy and
earnestness with which they have striven."
—The Acts of the Apostles,
pages 313, 314.
5.
Why are rewards for faithful-
ness not bestowed at death? 2 Tim.
4:1, 8. Compare 1 Thess. 4:15-17.
6.
What change comes to the right-
eous at the return of Jesus? 1 Cor. 15:
51-54; 1 Thess. 4:15-17.
NOTE.—"Our
personal identity is pre-
served in the resurrection, though not the
same particles of matter or material sub-
stance as went into the grave. The won-
drous works of God are a mystery to
man. The spirit, the character of man, is re-
turned to God, there to be preserved. In
the resurrection every man will have his
own character."—Ellen G. White supple-
ment in
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible
Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 1093.
The Manner of Christ's Coming
7.
How will Christ's coming be an-
nounced, and with what results? Matt.
24:31; 1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thess. 4:16.
Compare John 5:28, 29.
8.
What visible manifestation will
accompany Christ's appearing? Matt.
24:27; Rev. 1:7. Compare Acts 1:11.
Preparation for Christ's Coming
9.
In view of the fact that we do
not know the day and hour of Jesus'
return, what are we admonished to
do? Matt. 24:42, 44.
10.
What does the hope of Jesus'
return lead every sincere and earnest
believer to do? 1 John 3:2, 3.
11.
By what parable did Jesus stress
the importance of being prepared for
Him whenever He shall return? Matt.
25:1-13.
[39
1
Nom.—"The class represented by the
foolish virgins are not hypocrites. They
have a regard for the truth, they have ad-
vocated the truth, they are attracted to
those who believe the truth; but they have
not yielded themselves to the Holy Spirit's
working. They have not fallen upon the
Rock, Christ Jesus, and permitted their
old nature to be broken up. . . . They
. . . have been content with a superficial
work. They do not know God. They have
not studied His character; they have not
held communion with Him; therefore they
do not know how to trust, how to look and
live."—Christ's Object Lessons,
page 411.
12. Against what particular dan-
gers prior to His return did Jesus
warn His disciples to be on guard?
Matt. 24:4, 5, 48; Luke 21:34-36.
Nom.—"The evil servant says in his
heart, 'My lord delayeth his coming.' He
does not say that Christ will not come. He
does not scoff at the idea of His second
coming. But in his heart and by his ac-
tions and words he declares that the Lord's
coming is delayed. He banishes from the
minds of others the conviction that the
Lord is coming quickly. His influence
leads men to presumptuous, careless delay.
They are confirmed in their worldliness
and stupor."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 635.
"The trouble with us is that almost 2,000
years have passed, and we have come to
think that the Parousia [Advent] is still
far off."—R. C. H. Lenski,
Commentary,
on James 5:7.
13. What trait of character will all
develop who await the Lord's coming?
Why? James 5:7, 8; 1 Peter 1:7, 13.
Nom.—"Girding up the loins refers to the
long, loose robes worn by Orientals, which
were drawn up and belted at the waist
when one wanted to walk or work with
energy. This expression is used figuratively
with reference to the mind, which includes
thinking as well as the resultant willing,
and the thought is: 'Make up your minds
decisively I' . . . Instead of letting their
thoughts, purposes, decisions hang loose
while they move leisurely along in life as
impulse and occasion may move them, the
readers are to gird up their minds like peo-
ple who are energetically set on going
somewhere. To gird up the loins means
business, decision, action, not idling, not
drifting after this and that momentary
attraction."—R. C. H. Lenski,
Commen-
tary,
on 1 Peter 1:13.
Lesson 12, for September 19, 1959
The Resurrection and Life Everlasting
MEMORY VERSE:
"For the wages of sin
is death; but the gift of God is eternr.21 life
through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6:23.
STUDY HELPS:
"The Desire of Ages," page 530; "The Great Controversy," pages
644, 645; "The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary," on lesson texts;
Lesson Help in "Review and Herald" of September 3.
AIM:
A new appreciation of the divine gift of everlasting life.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
❑
Sunday: Key Words and Expres-
sions;
Questions
1-3.
❑
Monday: Questions 4, 5.
❑
Check Here
Tuesday
:
Questions 6-8.
Wednesday: Questions 9-13.
Thursday: Read
from Study
Helps.
Friday: Review entire lesson.
[40
]
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. The Hope of the Resurrection
1.
Everlasting life promised. Titus
1:2; 1 John 2:25.
2.
Death the wages of sin. Rom.
6:23 ; 1 Cor. 15:26.
3.
Life through the gospel. John
3:16; 2 Tim. 1:10.
II. Our Assurance of the Resurrection
4.
Life in Christ. John 1:4; 1 John
5:11, 12.
5.
Christ arose; we, too, will rise.
1 Cor. 15:12, 20; 1 Peter 1:3, 4.
III. Qualifying for Life Everlasting
6.
Knowledge and belief. John 3:36;
6:47; 17:3.
7.
Enduring to the end. Mark 13:13 ;
Rom. 2:7; Rev. 2:10.
8.
Everlasting life a present possession.
John 5:24; 1 John 5:10-13.
IV. Immortality Bestowed
9.
At Christ's coming. Mark 10:30;
Luke 14:14.
10.
Admission to life everlasting.
1 Cor. 15:50-55.
11.
Our Lord's own assurance. Matt.
24:30, 31; John 5:24-29.
12.
All translated together. 1 Thess.
4:13-17.
V. Tokens of Life Everlasting
13. River of life; tree of life. Rev.
22:1-3.
Key Words and Expressions:
1. Sleep.
In more than half the in-
stances in the New Testament where the
word translated "to fall asleep" is used, it
refers to the sleep of death. Our word
"cemetery" is from the related noun form.
Ancient Greek burial sites have been found
bearing an inscription meaning "sleeping
place," or "resting place."
2.
Life.
The Greek denotes the life
principle, the antithesis of death. In his
original state Adam had conditional pos-
session of this life principle, but when he
sinned he forfeited it and became subject
to the principle of death. Death is the op-
posite of life. Rom. 6:23. In Christ all
who believe inherit life, but only when im-
mortality is bestowed at the second advent
will Adam and his believing descendants
exchange their conditional possession of
life for unqualified immortality.
3.
Immortality.
The Greek word trans-
lated "immortal," "imperishable," is formed
by prefixing a negative to a word meaning
"ruin," "destruction," "deterioration," "dis-
solution," "corruption." Classical Greek
writers speak of a "crown of immortality."
Another word which literally means "undy-
ing," "what does not die," is also translated
"immortality."
4.
Crown of Life.
The Greek word
here used for "crown" means a garland of
victory, not the crown of rulership. The
garland of victory, awarded those who ex-
celled in ancient athletic contests or in bat-
tle was made of leaves or flowers, which
quickly withered. The Greek athlete would
endure the most rigorous privation and
discipline in order to secure a "corruptible
crown," but the "crown of life" for which
the Christian strives is "incorruptible." See
1 Cor. 9:25.
THE LESSON
Introduction
The First Resurrection:
"The voice that
cried from the cross, 'It is finished,' was
heard among the dead. It pierced the walls
of sepulchers, and summoned the sleepers
to arise. Thus will it be when the voice
of Christ shall be heard from heaven. That
voice will penetrate the graves and unbar
the tombs, and the dead
in
Christ shall
arise. At the Saviour's resurrection a few
graves were opened, but at His second com-
ing all the precious dead shall hear His
voice, and shall come forth to glorious, im-
mortal life. The same power that raised
Christ from the dead will raise His church,
and glorify it with
Him."-The Desire of
Ages,
page 787.
[ 41 ]
The Hope of the Resurrection
1.
In the promise of what glorious
hope does the Christian faith center?
Titus 1:2; 1 John 2:25.
Nom.—"One remark I cannot help mak-
ing; the doctrine of the
resurrection
appears
to haVe been thought of much more conse-
quence among the primitive Christians than
it is
now/
How is this? The apostles were
continually insisting on it, and exciting the
followers of God to diligence, obedience,
and cheerfulness through it. And their suc-
cessors in the present day seldom mention
it! . . . There is not a doctrine in the gos-
ple on which more stress is laid; and there
is not a doctrine in the present system of
preaching which is treated with more neg-
lect !"—Adam Clarke,
Commentary,
on 1
Cor. 15, note 3 at end of chapter.
2.
What is the inevitable result of
sin? What is death said to be? Rom.
6:23; 1 Cor. 15:26.
3.
How did God restore the hope
of everlasting life to sinners? John
3:16; 2 Tim. 1:10.
Our Assurance of the Resurrection
4.
How was this blessed hope made
available to us? John 1:4; 1 John
5:11, 12.
5.
Upon what supreme historical
fact is our hope of the resurrection
based? 1 Cor. 15:12, 20; 1 Peter 1:
3, 4.
NOTE.—"The
resurrection of Jesus was a
type of the final resurrection of all who
sleep in Him. The countenance of the risen
Saviour, His manner, His speech, were all
familiar to His disciples. As Jesus arose
from the dead, so those who sleep in Him
are to rise again. We shall know our
friends, even as the disciples knew Jesus."
—The Desire of Ages,
page 804.
Qualifying for Life Everlasting
6.
What must we believe in order
to inherit everlasting life? John 3:36;
6:47; 17:3. Compare John 11:25, 26.
7.
What must we do in order to in-
herit everlasting life? Mark 13:13;
Rom. 2:7; Rev. 2:10.
NOTE.—"The
conditions of eternal life,
under grace, are just what they were in
Eden—perfect righteousness, harmony with
God, perfect conformity to the principles
of His law. . . . God has made provision
that we may become like unto Him, and
He will accomplish this for all who do not
interpose a perverse will and thus frustrate
His
grace."—Thoughts From the Mount of
Blessing,
1956 ed., p. 76.
8.
When does the believing Chris-
tian inherit everlasting life? John
5:24; 1 John 5:10-13. Compare John
3:36.
NorE.—"Christ became one flesh with
us, in order that we might become one
spirit with Him. It is by virtue of this
union that we are to come forth from -the
grave,—not merely as a manifestation
-
of
the power of Christ, but because, through
faith, His life has become ours. Those who
see Christ in His true character, and re-
ceive Him into the heart, have everlasting
life. It is through the Spirit that Christ
dwells in us; and the Spirit of God, received
into the heart by faith, is the beginning of
the life eternal."—The
Desire 'of Ages,
page
388.
Immortality Bestowed
9.
When will those to whom God
has promised everlasting life enter
[
42 ]
into physical possession of it? Mark
10:30; Luke 14:14. Compare John 6:
40; 2 Tim. 4:6-8.
10.
What must take place before
the redeeined can live forever? 1 Cor.
15:50-55.
NOTE.—"Not
until the personal advent of
Christ can His people receive the kingdom.
. . . We have seen by the scriptures just
given [1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:16, 17]
that when the Son of man comes,
the dead
are raised incorruptible and the living are
changed. By this great change they are
prepared to receive the kingdom; for Paul
says: 'Flesh and blood cannot inherit the
kingdom of God; neither doth corruption
inherit incorruption' 1 Corinthians 15:50.
Man in his present state is mortal, corrupti-
ble; but the kingdom of God will be. in-
corruptible, enduring forever. Therefore
man in his present state cannot enter into
the kingdom of God. But when Jesus
comes, He confers immortality upon His
people; and then He calls them to in-
herit the kingdom of which they have
hitherto been only heirs."—The
Great Con-
troversy,
pages 322, 323.
11.
What graphic description did
Jesus give of the resurrection? Matt.
24:30, 31; John 5:24-29.
12.
How did Paul portray the same
everq? 1 Thess. 4:13-17.
"IF CHRIST BE NOT RAISED, YOUR
FAITH IS VAIN." 1
Co"nik,ans
15:17
0
.
59.1L
NoTE.—Modern theologians console • the
bereaved by assuring them that their de-
parted loved ones are even now enjoying
the bliss of heaven. But if the Thessaloniarr
believers who had fallen asleep in Jesus
were indeed in heaven, we may properly ask
why Paul did not console their living loved
ones with this reputed fact. If the apostle
believed the righteous dead to be already
in heaven he certainly missed a perfect op-
portunity so to enlighten and console the
living!
Tokens of Life Everlasting
13.
What tokens of immortality
will ever remain before the redeemed
in the earth made new? Rev. 22:1-3.,
Compare Rev. 21:3, 4.
FOREIGN-LANGUAGE SABBATH-SCHOOL LESSON QUARTERLIES
The senior "Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly" is published in
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for the strangers within your gates.
;
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. Inauguration of the Kingdom
1.
Christ's coronation. Matt. 25:31.
2.
Proclamation of the kingdom. Rev.
11:15, 17.
3.
Conquest of the kingdom. Rev.
19:11-16.
II. The King and His Subjects
•
4.
The King of grace and glory. Heb
4:16; Matt. 25:31, 32.
5.
The saints reign forever. Matt.
13:43 ; Rev. 22:5.
6.
Come, inherit
the kingdom. Matt
25:34.
Lesson 13, for September 26, 1959
The Coming Kingdom of Glory
MEMORY VERSE:
"Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye
blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the founda-
tion of the world." Matthew 25:34.
STUDY HELPS:
"The Desire of Ages," page 234; "The Great Controversy," pages
675-678; "Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing," 1956 ed., pp. 8, 107, 108
(1943 ed., pp. 20, 159, 160); "The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary,"
on lesson texts; Lesson Help in "Review and Herald" of September 10.
AIM:
Reconsecration to the task of preparing for citizenship in the eternal kingdom
of the redeemed.
DAILY STUDY ASSIGNMENT AND RECORD
Check Here
Sabbath afternoon: General survey.
❑
Sunday: Key Thoughts;
Questions 1-3.
❑
Monday: Questions 4-6; read from
Study Helps.
❑
Check Here
Tuesday: Questions 7-10.
0
Wednesday: Questions 11-13.
Thursday: Read from Study Helps.
Friday: Review entire lesson.
III. Admission to the Kingdom
7.
Through diligence. 2 Peter 1:10,
11; 3:11-14.
8.
Through tribulation. Acts 14:22;
2 Tim. 2:12.
9.
Through patience, faith, enduranc
2 Thess. 1:4, 5 ; James 2:5.
10.
The judgment. Matt. 13:41-43;
25:31-33.
Key Thoughts:
1. The Kingdoms of Grace and Glory.
The kingdom of grace is preparatory to the
eternal kingdom of glory. Christ officiates
as Priest-King of the one, and as King of
kings in the other. Under the one He serves
His people as Saviour and Advocate, under
the other He stands as Judge and Execu-
tioner of those who have defied His grace
and authority. Under the one He wore a
crown of thorns, under the other He is
crowned with many glorious crowns.
Under the kingdom of grace we are justi-
fied and sanctified, in the kingdom of glory
e.
we are glorified. Under the one we are de-
livered from the power and penalty of sin,
under the other we are delivered forever
from the presence of sin. Under the one we
[
447
..
IV. Endless Life in a Perfect World
11.
No more curse. Rev. 21:4, 8, 27;
22:3, 15.
12.
The earth made new. Rev. 21:1-7,
22-25; 22:1-5.
13.
An everlasting kingdom. 2 Peter
1:11; Rev. 11:15.
prepare for heaven, under the other we en-
ter heaven. Under the one we receive condi-
tional immortality, under the other we are
immortalized. Under one we become heirs
of the kingdom, under the other we inherit
the kingdom. Under the one we suffer with
Christ, under the other we reign with Him.
2. Christ as King of Kings.
Rev. 19:16.
This title is also used of the Father in 1
Tim. 6:15. It is also used of Christ as He
comes forth to take possession of the king-
dom of this world (Rev. 11:15; 19:16), and
may be considered His official title as King
of the kingdom of glory.
3. The Throne of His Glory.
Matt. 25:
31. In times eternal Father and Son shared
the throne of the universe.
Patriarchs and
Prophets,
page 36. At the incarnation
the Son voluntarily stepped down from the
throne of the universe and gave back the
scepter into the Father's hands.
The Desire
of Ages,
pages 22, 23. At the ascension the
Son was enthroned with the Father upon
His throne. Rev. 3:21. Upon His return to
earth He will be seated upon the throne of
His own glory. Matt. 25:31.
The Great
Controversy,
page 347. At the close of the
millennium His final coronation will take
place.
Ibid.,
p. 666.
Introduction
THE LESSON
possession of this world? Rev. 19:
11-16.
The Kingdom Restored:
"With unutter-
able love, Jesus welcomes His faithful ones
to the joy of their Lord. The Saviour's joy
is in seeing, in the kingdom of glory, the
souls that have been saved by His agony
and humiliation. And the redeemed will be
sharers in His joy, as they behold, among
the blessed, those who have been won to
Christ through their prayers,
their labors,
and their loving sacrifice. As they gather
about the great white throne, gladness un-
speakable will fill their hearts, when they
behold those whom they have won for
Christ, and see that one has gained others,
and these still others, all brought into the
haven of rest, there to lay their crowns at
Jesus' feet and praise Him through the end-
less cycles of eternity."—The
Great Contro-
versy,
page 647.
Inauguration of the Kingdom
1.
What event marks the inaugura-
tion of Christ's glorious kingdom?
Matt. 25:31. Compare 2 Tim. 4:1.
2.
What proclamation in heaven
announces the establishment
of
the
kingdom? Rev. 11:15, 17.
3.
What dramatic description is
given of Christ as He comes to take
The King and His Subjects
4.
What may be inferred from
Christ's role as King of the kingdom
of grace and of the kingdom of glory?
Heb. 4:16; Matt. 25:31, 32.
NOTE.—"As used in the Bible, the expres-
sion 'kingdom of God' is employed to desig-
nate both the kingdom of grace and the
kingdom of glory. The kingdom of grace is
brought to view by Paul in the Epistle to
the Hebrews. . . . Hebrews 4:15, 16. The
throne
of
grace represents the kingdom of
grace; for the existence of a throne implies
the existence of a kingdom. . . . So the
throne of glory represents the kingdom of
glory; and this kingdom is referred to in the
Saviour's words. . . . Matthew 25:31, 32.
This kingdom is yet future. It is not to be
set up until the second advent of Christ."—
The Great Controversy,
page 347.
5.
What honor will the saints have
in Christ's eternal kingdom? Matt.
13:43; Rev. 22:5.
6.
With what gracious invitation
will the King of glory welcome His
subjects to their eternal home? Matt.
25:34.
E 45 I
"IF WE SUFFER, WE SHALL ALSO
REIGN WITH HIM.. 2TIM011-11
,
2:12.
Admission to the Kingdom
7.
What concern will be manifested
by those preparing for admission to
the coming kingdom of glory? 2 Pe-
ter 1:10, 11; 3:11, 14.
NoTE.—"It is not possible for us to drift
into heaven. . . . If we do not strive to
gain an entrance into the kingdom, if we
do not seek earnestly to learn what consti-
tutes its laws, we are not fitted for a part
in it. Those who refuse to co-operate with
God on earth would not co-operate with
Him in heaven. It would not be safe to
take them to
heaven."—Christ's Object
Lessons,
1941 ed., p. 280.
8.
Through what experience will
all pass who gain admission to the
kingdom? Acts 14:22; 2 Tim. 2:12.
9.
Who are accounted worthy to
become heirs of the kingdom God has
promised? 2 Thess. 1:4, 5; James 2:5.
10.
By what selective procedure is
admission to Christ's everlasting king-
dom granted? Matt. 13:41-43; 25:
31-33.
Endless Life in a Perfect World
11.
From what will the kingdom
forever remain free? Rev. 21:4, 8, 27;
22:3, 15.
NoTE.—"It is no arbitrary decree on the
part of God that excludes the wicked from
heaven: they are shut out by their own
unfitness for its companionship. The glory
of God would be to them a consuming fire."
—Steps to Christ,
1956 and pocket eds., p. 18.
12.
In that glorious future king-
dom, what marvelous privilege will
be granted to the redeemed? Rev. 21:
1-7, 22-25; 22:1-5.
NOTE.—"There,
immortal minds will con-
template with never-failing delight the won-
ders of creative power, the mysteries of
redeeming love. There will be no cruel, de-
ceiving foe to tempt to forgetfulness of
God. Every faculty will be developed, ev-
ery capacity increased. The acquirement of
knowledge will not weary the mind or ex-
haust the energies. There the grandest
enterprises may be carried forward, the loft-
iest aspirations reached, the highest ambi-
tions realized; and still there will arise new
heights to surmount, new wonders to ad-
mire, new truths to comprehend, fresh ob-
jects to call forth the powers of mind and
soul and body."—The
Great Controversy,
page 677.
13.
What is said of the stability of
Christ's glorious kingdom? 2 Peter
1:11; Rev. 11:15.
NoTE.—"The great controversy is ended.
Sin and sinners are no more. The entire uni-
verse is clean. One pulse of harmony and
gladness beats through the vast creation.
From Him who created all, flow life and
light and gladness, throughout the realms of
illimitable space. From the minutest atom
to the greatest world, all things, animate
and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty
and perfect joy, declare that God is love."
—The Great Controversy,
page 678.
[ 46 ]
THIRTEENTH SABBATH OFFERING
September 26, 1959
The Far Eastern Division is the field to benefit from the overflow of
the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering that will be received on September 26.
Three worthy projects have been chosen: (I) the establishment of an
evangelistic center in Seoul, Korea; (2) needed classrooms for the Indo-
nesian Union Seminary, Bandung, Java; (3) a middle school at the
Japan Missionary College.
The needs surrounding any one of these projects are so great that it
could easily use the whole overflow offering, but an endeavor has been
made to stretch the money as far as possible. It is hoped that our Sab-
bath school members around the world will be just as liberal as possible
in their gifts on this Thirteenth Sabbath. The overflow will go to help
train young people to be workers in the cause of God in the great Far
Eastern Division and help also to increase the evangelistic efforts in the
fruitful land of Korea. In Seoul, Korea, prior to the Korean War we
had seven churches. Now, in that same area we have twenty-three
organized churches and companies, but many of them do not have
buildings in which to meet. The need for an evangelistic center in the
heart of the city is great. Let us keep these needs in mind as we plan our
offerings this quarter.
The fields to benefit from the overflow for the next four quarters are:
4th quarter—Southern Asia Division
1st quarter (i96o)—Northern European Division
2d quarter—Southern European Division
3d quarter—Australasian Division
LESSONS FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 1959
Sabbath school members who have failed to receive a senior
Lesson Quarterly
for the fourth quarter of 1959 will be helped by the following outline in studying
the first lesson. The subject of the quarter's lessons is "Christian Stewardship
in Its Broader Aspects." The title of the first lesson is "God, the Owner of All."
The Memory Verse is John 3:16. The texts to be studied are:
Ques. 1. Ps. 24:1; 95:4, 5.
Ques. 8. Matt. 22:37-40.
Ques. 2. Col. 1:16, 17.
Ques. 9. John 15:15.
Ques. 3. Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7.
Ques. 10. John 15:16, 20 ; 20:21.
Ques. 4. Ps. 8:4, 5.
Ques. 11.1 Peter 4:10.
Ques. 5. Matt. 6:9.
Ques. 12. Rom. 8:14, 17, 18.
Ques. 6. John 3:16; Titus 2:14.
Ques. 13. Gal. 2:20; Phil. 4:13.
Ques. 7. Gen. 2:15; 1 Cor. 4:1, 7.
Ques. 14. 1 John 3:2.
[ 47 I
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JAPAN MISSIONARY COLLEGE
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HOLLANDIA
THE FAR EASTERN DIVISION
MISSION
POPULATION
CHURCHES CH. MEM. 5.5. Wm.
INDONESIA UNION
82,000,000
305
16,357
19,035
JAPAN UNION
90,800,000
47
3,789
6,964
KOREAN UNION
21,526,374
70
7,983
20,912
N. PHILIPPINE UNION
11,273,160
363
21,992
22,772
S. CHINA ISLAND UNION
13,050.000
17
3,038
6,222
S. E:ASIA UNION
54,651,408
57
5,458
7,061
S. PHILIPPINE UNION
10,586,654.
413
38,552
41,724
FAR EASTERN ISLAND M.
132,199
6
365
400
W. NEW GUINEA M.
1.000,000
5
117
289
DIVISION TOTALS
KOREAN UNION MISSION
d
or
A
•
MtAWA
JAPAN UNION MISSION
285,019,795
1.283
97.651
125,379
EVANGELISTIC CENTER
SEOUL, KOREA
INDONESIA UNION MISSION
NEW GUINEA
iS
UHANG
Ti
OR
INDONESIAN UNION SEMINARY